2 Samuel 18:1-8

1Then David mustered the people who were with him and set commanders of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.

2Then David sent out the troops, one third under the command of Joab, one third under the command of Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and one third under the command of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the troops, “I must certainly go out with you also.”

3But the troops said, “You must not go out! For if we were to flee, they would not care about us, even if half of us die, they still wouldn’t care about us—but you are worth 10,000 of us. Therefore now, it is better that you be ready to support us from the city.”

4Then the king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” So the king stood beside the gate and all the troops went out by their hundreds and thousands.

5Then the king charged Joab, Abishai and Ittai saying, “Deal gently with the young man Absalom for my sake.” Now all the troops heard the king’s charge to all the commanders concerning Absalom.

6Then the troops went out to the field to confront Israel but the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.

7The people of Israel were defeated there before the followers of David, and the slaughter that day was great—20,000 men.

8For the battle there was spread over the face of the entire countryside and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.