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And Dauid numbred the people that were with him, and set captaines of thousands, and captaines of hundreds ouer them.

And Dauid sent forth a third part of the people vnder the hand of Ioab, and a third part vnder the hand of Abishai the sonne of Zeruiah Ioabs brother, and a third part vnder the hand of Ittai the Gittite: and the king said vnto the people, I will surely goe foorth with you my selfe also.

But the people answered, Thou shalt not goe foorth: for if we flee away, they will not care for vs, neither if halfe of vs die will they care for vs: but now thou art worth ten thousand of vs: therfore now it is better that thou succour vs out of the citie.

And the King sayde vnto them, What seemeth you best, I will doe. And the King stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds, and by thousands.

And the king commanded Ioab, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Deale gently for my sake with the yong man, euen with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gaue all the captaines charge concerning Absalom.

So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battell was in the wood of Ephraim,

Where the people of Israel were slaine before the seruants of Dauid, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men.

For the battell was there scattered ouer the face of all the countrey: and the wood deuoured more people that day, then the sword deuoured.