2 Samuel 18:1-8
1599 Geneva Bible
18 2 David divideth his army into three parts. 9 Absalom is hanged, slain, and cast into a pit. 33 David lamenteth the death of Absalom.
1 Then David [a]numbered the people that were with him, and set over them captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds.
2 And David sent forth the third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and the third part under the hand of Abishai Joab’s brother, the son of Zeruiah: and the other third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the King said unto the people, I will go with you myself also.
3 But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not regard us, neither will they pass for us, though half of us were slain: but thou art [b]now worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou succor us out of the city.
4 Then the king said unto them, What seemeth you best, that I will do. So the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.
5 And the king commanded Joab and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Entreat the young man Absalom gently for my sake. And all the people heard when the King gave all the Captains charge concerning Absalom.
6 So the people went out into the field to meet Israel, and the battle was in the [c]wood of Ephraim:
7 Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David: so there was a great slaughter that day, even of twenty thousand.
8 ¶ For the battle was scattered over all the country: and the wood devoured much more people that day than did the sword.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Samuel 18:1 For certain of the Reubenites, Gadites, and of the half tribe, could not bear the insolence of the son against the father, and therefore joined with David.
- 2 Samuel 18:3 Signifying, that a good governor ought to be so dear unto his people, that they will rather lose their lives, than that ought should come unto him.
- 2 Samuel 18:6 So called, because the Ephraimites (as some say) fed their cattle beyond Jordan in this wood.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
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