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

2Sm18:2  And he placed a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Ittai, who was from Gath. And the king said to the people, “I, too, will go forth with you.”

2  And David sent forth the people, 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. And the king said unto the people: 'I will surely go forth with you myself also.'

2Sm18:3  And the people responded: “You shall not go out. For if we flee, there will not be great concern in them for us. Or if one half part of us will fall, they will not care much. For you are considered as one for ten thousand. Therefore, it is better that you should be in the city to strengthen us.”

2  And David placed a third part of the people under the command of Joab, and a third part under the command of Abishai the son of Zoriah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the command of Ittai the Gittite.

3  But the people said: '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 thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou be ready to succour us out of the city.'

3  And they said, Thou shalt not go out: for if we should indeed flee, they will not care for us; and if half of us should die, they will not mind us; for thou art as ten thousand of us: and now it is well that thou shalt be to us an aid to help us in the city.

2Sm18:4  And the king said to them, “I will do whatever seems good to you.” Therefore, the king stood beside the gate. And the people went out by their troops, by hundreds and by thousands.

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 went out by hundreds and by thousands.

2Sm18:5  And the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Preserve for me the boy Absalom.” And all the people heard the king commanding all the leaders on behalf of Absalom.

4  And the servants of David said to him, We will go forth quickly to fight against them. And the king said to them, Whatever seems good to you, do it. Then the king stood by the side of the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.

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.

2Sm18:6  And so, the people departed into the field against Israel. And the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.

6  So the people went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.

6  And all the people went out into the wood against Israel; and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim.

2Sm18:7  And the people of Israel were cut down in that place by the army of David. And a great slaughter occurred on that day: twenty thousand men.

7  And the people of Israel were smitten there before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men.

2Sm18:8  Now the battle in that place was dispersed over the face of all the land. And there were many more of the people whom the forest had consumed, than the sword had devoured, on that day.

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

8  And the battle there was scattered over the face of all the land: and the wood consumed more of the people than the sword consumed among the people in that day.

2Sm18:9  Then it happened that Absalom, riding on a mule, met the servants of David. And when the mule had entered under a thick and large oak tree, his head became trapped in the oak. And while he was suspended between heaven and earth, the mule on which he had been sitting continued on.