Immerse: Kingdoms Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 174
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IMMERSE
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KINGDOMS
2S
| 17:24–18:10
David soon arrived at Mahanaim. By now, Absalom had mobilized the
entire army of Israel and was leading his troops across the Jordan River.
Absalom had appointed Amasa as commander of his army, replacing Joab,
who had been commander under David. (Amas a was Joab’s cousin. His
father was Jether, an Ishmaelite. His mother, Abigail daughter of Nahash,
was the sister of Joab’s mother, Zeruiah.) Absalom and the Israelite army
set up camp in the land of Gilead.
When David arrived at Mahanaim, he was warmly greeted by Shobi
son of Nahash, who came from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and by Makir
son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and by Barzillai of Gilead from Rogelim.
They brought sleeping mats, cooking pots, serving bowls, wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans, lentils, honey, butter, sheep, goats, and
cheese for David and those who were with him. For they said, “You must
all be very hungry and tired and thirsty after your long march through the
wilderness.”
David now mustered the men who were with him and appointed generals and captains to lead them. He sent the troops out in three groups,
placing one group under Joab, one under Joab’s brother Abishai son of
Zerui ah, and one under Ittai, the man from Gath. The king told his troops,
“I am going out with you.”
But his men objected strongly. “You must not go,” they urged. “If we
have to turn and run—and even if half of us die—it will make no difference to Absalom’s troops; they will be looking only for you. You are worth
10,000 of us, and it is better that you stay here in the town and send help
if we need it.”
“If you think that’s the best plan, I’ll do it,” the king answered. So he
stood alongside the gate of the town as all the troops marched out in
groups of hundreds and of thousands.
And the king gave this command to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai: “For my
sake, deal gently with young Absalom.” And all the troops heard the king
give this order to his commanders.
So the battle began in the forest of Ephraim, and the Israelite troops
were beaten back by David’s men. There was a great slaughter that day, and
20,000 men laid down their lives. The battle raged all across the countryside, and more men died because of the forest than were killed by the
sword.
During the battle, Absalom happened to come upon some of David’s men.
He tried to escape on his mule, but as he rode beneath the thick branches
of a great tree, his hair got caught in the tree. His mule kept going and left
him dangling in the air. One of David’s men saw what had happened and
told Joab, “I saw Absalom dangling from a great tree.”