---
title: "2 Samuel 18:1-8 KJV - \"And David numbered the people that wer...\" | Real Bible Believers"
description: "\"And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. And David sent\" — Read 2 Samuel 18:1-8 in the King James Version (KJV) with commentary, cross references, and Greek/Hebrew lexicon."
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url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/kjv/2-samuel/18/1-8"
---

[ Read](/kjv/2-samuel/18)[ Commentary](/study/2-samuel/18)[ Interlinear](/interlinear/2-samuel/18) Audio

## 2 Samuel 18:1-8 in Context (Verses 1–11 KJV)
 
 [1 ](/kjv/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 ](/kjv/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.
 
 [3 ](/kjv/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.***
 
 [4 ](/kjv/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.
 
 [5 ](/kjv/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.
 
 [6 ](/kjv/2-samuel/18/6) ¶ So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim;
 
 [7 ](/kjv/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*.
 
 [8 ](/kjv/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.*
 
 [9 ](/kjv/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.
 
 [10 ](/kjv/2-samuel/18/10) And a certain man saw *it*, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.
 
 [11 ](/kjv/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 17](/kjv/2-samuel/17) [2 Samuel 19](/kjv/2-samuel/19)

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