David counted his men and placed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. ²He sent the troops out in three groups. Joab commanded one-third of the men. Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah commanded another third. And Ittai from Gath commanded the last third. King David said to them, “I will also go with you.”

³But the men said, “You must not go with us! If we run away in the battle, Absalom’s men won’t care. Even if half of us are killed, Absalom’s men won’t care. But you’re worth ten thousand of us! You can help us most by staying in the city.”

⁴The king said to his people, “I will do what you think is best.” So the king stood at the side of the gate as the army went out in groups of a hundred and a thousand.

⁵The king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Be gentle with young Absalom for my sake.” Everyone heard the king’s orders to the commanders about Absalom.

⁶David’s army went out into the field against Absalom’s Israelites, and they fought in the forest of Ephraim. ⁷There David’s army defeated the Israelites. Many died that day—twenty thousand men. ⁸The battle spread through all the country, but that day more men died in the forest than in the fighting.

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