2 Samuel 18:1-8 ▼

1 Then Dauid nombred the people that were with him, & set ouer them captaines of thousands and captaines of hundreths.

2 And Dauid sent foorth the third part of the people vnder the hand of Ioab, and the thirde part vnder the hand of Abishai Ioabs brother the sonne of Zeruiah: and the other third part vnder the hand of Ittai the Gittite; the King said vnto the people, I will go with you my selfe also.

3 But the people answered, Thou shalt not goe foorth: for if we flee away, they will not regarde vs, neither will they passe for vs, though halfe of vs were slaine: but thou art now worth ten thousande of vs: therefore nowe it is better that thou succour vs out of the citie.

4 Then the King said vnto them, What seemeth you best, that I will doe. So the King stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreths and by thousands.

5 And the King commanded Ioab and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Entreate the yong man Absalom gently for my sake; all the people heard whe the King gaue al the captaines charge concerning Absalom.

6 So the people went out into the fielde to meete Israel, and the battell was in the wood of Ephraim:

7 Where the people of Israel were slaine before the seruants of Dauid: so there was a great slaughter that day, euen of twentie thousande.

8 For the battel was skattered ouer all the countrey: and the wood deuoured much more people that day, then did the sworde.