📖 The

2 SAMUEL 18:1

And David numbered the people that [were] with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. ...

2 SAMUEL 18:2

And David sent forth a third part of the people 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. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also. ...

2 SAMUEL 18:3

But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but now [thou art] worth ten thousand of us: therefore now [it is] better that thou succour us out of the city. ...

2 SAMUEL 18:4

And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands. ...

2 SAMUEL 18:5

And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, [Deal] gently for my sake with the young man, [even] with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom. ...

2 SAMUEL 18:6

# So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim; ...

2 SAMUEL 18:7

Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand [men]. ...

2 SAMUEL 18:8

For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured. ...

2 SAMUEL 18:9

# And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that [was] under him went away. ...

2 SAMUEL 18:10

And a certain man saw [it], and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak. ...

2 SAMUEL 18:11

And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest [him], and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten [shekels] of silver, and a girdle. ...

2 SAMUEL 18:12

And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand [shekels] of silver in mine hand, [yet] would I not put forth mine hand against the king's son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none [touch] the young man Absalom. ...