2 Samuel 18:1–8

Absalom’s Defeat

18David reviewed his troops and appointed commanders of hundreds and of thousands over them. ²He then sent out the troops, a third under Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the troops, “I will also march out with you.”

³“You must not go!” ^bthe people pleaded. “If we have to flee, they will not pay any attention to us. Even if half of us die, they will not pay any attention to us because you are worth ^c10,000 of us. Therefore, it is better if you support us from the city.”

⁴“I will do whatever you think is best,” the king replied to them. So he stood beside the gate while all the troops marched out by hundreds and thousands. ⁵The king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Treat the young man Absalom gently for my sake.” All the people heard the king’s orders to all the commanders about Absalom.

⁶Then David’s forces marched into the field to engage Israel in battle, which took place in the forest of Ephraim. ⁷The people of Israel were defeated by David’s soldiers, and the slaughter there was vast that day—20,000 casualties. ⁸The battle spread over the entire region, and that day the forest claimed more people than the sword.