📖WEB · 2 Samuel 18:5
What does 2 Samuel 18:5 mean?
"The king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom.” All the people heard when the king commanded all the captains concerning Absalom."
— 2 Samuel 18:5 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
David sent the people out, 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. The king said to the people, “I will also surely go out with you myself.”
But the people said, “You shall not go out; for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore now it is better that you are ready to help us out of the city.”
The king said to them, “I will do what seems best to you.” The king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.
The king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom.” All the people heard when the king commanded all the captains concerning Absalom.
So the people went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.
The people of Israel were struck there before David’s servants, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men.
For the battle was there spread over the surface of all the country, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
A full explanation for this verse is coming soon. In the meantime, you can ask our AI about 2 Samuel 18:5 directly — it will give you a detailed answer grounded in the actual text.
Compare translations
Go deeper with ScriptureCompanion AI
Ask questions about any verse, follow reading plans, write personal prayers, and track your daily habit — all grounded in verified scripture text.