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1 And David mustered the people who were with him, and appointed commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds over them. 2 David divided the army into three, a third part under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the people, |I will surely go forth with you myself also.| 3 But they said, |You must not go out, for if we retreat, no one will care about us. If half of us die, no one will care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. So it is better for you to be in the city to help.| 4 The king said to them, |I will do what seems best to you.| The king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands. 5 The king gave this order to Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, |Be gentle for my sake with the young man Absalom.| And all the people were listening when the king gave orders to all the commanders concerning Absalom. 6 So the people went out into the field against Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim. 7 And the people of Israel were struck there before the servants of David, and a great slaughter took place that day of twenty thousand men. 8 For the battle spread over the entire region, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured. 2 Samuel 18:1-8, New Heart English Bible. Public domain.
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