2 Samuel 20:4 nasb — Then the king said to Amasa, "Call out the men of Judah for me within three days, and be present here yourself."

NASB

"Then the king said to Amasa, "Call out the men of Judah for me within three days, and be present here yourself.""

— 2 Samuel 20:4, NASB

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2 Samuel 20:4 in Other Translations

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2 Samuel 20 — Context

1

Now a worthless fellow happened to be there whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew the trumpet and said, "We have no portion in David, Nor do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse; Every man to his tents, O Israel!"

2

So all the men of Israel withdrew from following David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah remained steadfast to their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.

3

Then David came to his house at Jerusalem, and the king took the ten women, the concubines whom he had left to keep the house, and placed them under guard and provided them with sustenance, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up until the day of their death, living as widows.

4

Then the king said to Amasa, "Call out the men of Judah for me within three days, and be present here yourself."

5

So Amasa went to call out the men of Judah, but he delayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him.

6

And David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom; take your lord's servants and pursue him, so that he does not find for himself fortified cities and escape from our sight."

7

So Joab's men went out after him, along with the Cherethites and the Pelethites and all the mighty men; and they went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

2 Samuel 20:4 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 2 Samuel 20:4 say?
2 Samuel 20:4 in the NASB reads: “Then the king said to Amasa, "Call out the men of Judah for me within three days, and be present here yourself."”
Where is 2 Samuel 20:4 in the Bible?
2 Samuel 20:4 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of 2 Samuel, chapter 20, verse 4.
Who wrote 2 Samuel?
2 Samuel is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Nathan and Gad). It was written c. 930–722 BC.
What is the book of 2 Samuel about?
2 Samuel records David's reign — his rise to the throne, the conquest of Jerusalem, the eternal covenant God makes with his house, and the moral failure with Bathsheba that fractures his family. From the highs of triumph to the depths of repentance, David remains the messianic prototype.
What are the major themes of 2 Samuel?
2 Samuel explores themes including Davidic Covenant, Sin & Repentance, Kingdom, Mercy, Consequences. These themes shape the meaning and context of 2 Samuel 20:4.
What translation should I read 2 Samuel 20:4 in?
2 Samuel 20:4 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize 2 Samuel 20:4?
2 Samuel 20:4 reads (NASB): “Then the king said to Amasa, "Call out the men of Judah for me within three days, and be present here yourself."” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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