2 Samuel 18:1-8

Evangelical Heritage Version

The Battle

18 David organized the troops who were with him. He appointed leaders over units of a thousand and units of a hundred. ² Then David sent the troops out: one third under the command of Joab; one third under the command of Abishai, who was the son of Zeruiah and the brother of Joab; and one third under the command of Ittai from Gath.

The king said to the troops, “I myself will definitely also go with you.”

³ But the troops said, “You will not go, because if we flee, they will not target us. Even if half of us die, they will not target us, for there are ten thousand others like us. No. It is better now that you support us from the city.”

⁴ So the king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you, I will do.”

The king stood beside the city gate. All the troops marched out by units of a hundred and a thousand. ⁵ The king gave orders to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai: “For my sake, act gently with the young man Absalom.” All the troops heard the king giving orders to the leaders concerning Absalom.

⁶ The troops went out into the countryside to confront Israel. The battle took place in the Forest of Ephraim. ⁷ The men of Israel were defeated there by the followers of David. There was a great slaughter there on that day—twenty thousand. ⁸ The battle was spread over the entire area. The forest devoured more people than the sword did on that day.