1. And so David, having reviewed his people, appointed over them tribunes and centurions.
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."
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."
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.
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.
6. And so, the people departed into the field against Israel. And the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.
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.
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.
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.
10. Then a certain one saw this and reported it to Joab, saying, "I saw Absalom hanging from an oak."