II Samuel 18:4
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“I will do whatever seems best to you,” the king replied. So he stood beside the gate, while all the troops marched out by hundreds and by thousands.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
The king gave his consent to these proposals, and went to the side of the gate, whilst the people went out by hundreds and thousands; but in the hearing of all he commanded the principal generals, "Mildly for me (i.e., deal gently for my sake) with the boy Absalom." לאט is not the imperative of לאט, to cover over, which would not suit the connection, and could not be construed with ל, but an adverb from אט, as in Isa 8:6; Kg1 21:27; Job 15:11.
Open source ↗This chapter puts a period to Absalom's rebellion and life, and so makes way for David to his throne again, whither the next chapter brings him back in peace and triumph. We have here, I. David's preparations to engage the rebels (Sa2 18:1-5). II. The total defeat of Absalom's party and their dispersion (Sa2 18:6-8). III. The death of Absalom, and his burial (Sa2 18:9-18). IV. The bringing of the tidings to David, who tarried at Mahanaim (Sa2 18:19-32). V. His bitter lamentation for Absalom (Sa2 18:33).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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Now David was sitting between the two gates when the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall, looked out, and saw a man running alone.
As the Philistine leaders marched out their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men marched behind them with Achish.
a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and a strength to those who repel the onslaught at the gate.
Then David reviewed his troops and appointed over them commanders of hundreds and of thousands.