2 Samuel 18:2
ESV
And David sent out the army, one third under the command of Joab, one third under the command of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab 's brother, and one third under the command of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the men, "I myself will also go out with you."
NIV
David sent out his troops, a third under the command of Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. The king told the troops, "I myself will surely march out with you."
NASB
And David sent the people out, a third under the command of Joab, a third under the command of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third under the command of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, 'I myself will certainly go out with you also.'
CSB
He then sent out the troops, a third under Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai of Gath. The king said to the troops, "I must also march out with you."
NLT
He sent the troops out in three groups, placing one group under Joab, one under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and one under Ittai, the man from Gath. The king told his troops, 'I am going out with you.'
KJV
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.
NKJV
Then David sent out one third of the people under the hand of Joab, one third under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, “I also will surely go out with you myself.”
What does 2 Samuel 18:2 mean?
Absalom has conscripted an army from all the tribes of Israel (2 Samuel 17:11). We don't know exactly how many fighting men David has but it would have been significantly fewer (2 Samuel 18:1). The terrain is rough and heavily forested (2 Samuel 18:6). David divides his men into small companies distributed among three larger divisions.Joab is David's nephew and his greatest general. He's likely been with David since David first fled Saul (1 Samuel 22:1). Joab is unendingly loyal to David. But he has no problem ignoring an order if he thinks it's foolish. He murdered Abner, Saul's general who was conspiring with David, because Abner killed his brother Asahel (2 Samuel 2:18–23; 3:26–27). He'll kill Absalom, despite David's direct order (2 Samuel 18:5, 14–15). He'll confront David when David shows more concern for his dead son than his living soldiers (2 Samuel 19:1–8). And he'll murder Amasa, the man David makes commander in place of him (2 Samuel 19:13; 20:8–10). When Solomon becomes king, David tells him to execute Joab for murdering Abner and Amasa (1 Kings 2:5).
Abishai is Joab's brother. He's violent, but more submissive to David's commands (2 Samuel 16:9). He went with David to the center of Saul's camp while the army lay sleeping, and suggested God had given Saul into David's hand. When David told him not to kill God's anointed king or Abner, Abishai obeyed (1 Samuel 26:6–12). Abishai is the chief of David's thirty fiercest warriors and accomplished with a spear (2 Samuel 23:18).
Ittai is a less conventional choice. While David gathered his servants to flee Jerusalem, he took his personal guard along with the Philistine Cherethites and Pelethites. But when Ittai from Gath followed, David stopped him. He and his mercenaries had only recently arrived with their families. David told him to stay and serve Absalom. There was no need to move his children again. Ittai swore by God that he would remain faithful to David. David had no choice but to be thankful (2 Samuel 15:18–22). Ittai is in the list of David's mighty men (2 Samuel 23:29).
David also decides to go. At some point after being crowned king of all Israel and making his capital in Jerusalem, David stopped leading his army to war. This wasn't a sinful decision; he had an entire nation to rule. He did join Joab when the army had finally conquered the foolish Ammonite king Hanun (2 Samuel 10:1–5; 12:26–31).
David's decision to attend the battle is foolish for several reasons. First, Absalom's primary goal is to kill David and bring his followers back to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 17:1–4). Second, the decision seems to continue of David's inability to discipline his sons. He did nothing after Amnon raped David's daughter Tamar (2 Samuel 13:21). He refused to properly deal with Absalom after he murdered Amnon (2 Samuel 13:38; 14:21–24). And now, after Absalom has stolen the hearts of the people and conscripted an army to kill him, David still doesn't want his son to meet justice (2 Samuel 18:5). He likely wants to command the battle so he can protect Absalom from harm. Fortunately, David's men show wisdom and refuse to let the king join the fighting (2 Samuel 18:3).
