2 Samuel 18:4-9
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 18
4Then the king said to them, 'Whatever seems best to you I will do.' So the king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and thousands. 5But the king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, 'Deal gently with the young man Absalom for my sake.' And all the people heard when the king commanded all the commanders regarding Absalom.
6Then the people went out to the field against Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.
7The people of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and the slaughter there that day was great, twenty thousand men.
8For the battle there was spread over the whole countryside, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
King James Version
Chapter 18
4And 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. 5And 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.
6So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim;
7Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men.
8For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 18
4"I will do whatever you think is best," the king replied to them. So he stood beside the city gate while all the troops marched out by hundreds and thousands. 5The king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, "Treat the young man Absalom gently for my sake." All the people heard the king’s orders to all the commanders about Absalom.
6Then David’s forces marched into the field to engage Israel in battle, which took place in the forest of Ephraim.
7Israel’s army was defeated by David’s soldiers, and the slaughter there was vast that day—twenty thousand dead.
8The battle spread over the entire area, and that day the forest claimed more people than the sword.
New Living Translation
English Standard Version
Chapter 18
4The king said to them, "Whatever seems best to you I will do." So the king stood at the side of the gate, while all the army marched out by hundreds and by thousands. 5And the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, "Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom." And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders about Absalom.
6So the army went out into the field against Israel, and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim.
7And the men of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and the loss there was great on that day, twenty thousand men.
8The battle spread over the face of all the country, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword.
New International Version
Chapter 18
4The king answered, "I will do whatever seems best to you." So the king stood beside the gate while all his men marched out in units of hundreds and of thousands. 5The king commanded Joab, Abishai and Ittai, "Be gentle with the young man Absalom for my sake." And all the troops heard the king giving orders concerning Absalom to each of the commanders.
6David’s army marched out of the city to fight Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.
7There Israel’s troops were routed by David’s men, and the casualties that day were great—twenty thousand men.
8The battle spread out over the whole countryside, and the forest swallowed up more men that day than the sword.
New King James Version
Chapter 18
4Then the king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” So the king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands. 5Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, “ Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains orders concerning Absalom.
6So the people went out into the field of battle against Israel. And the battle was in the woods of Ephraim.
7The people of Israel were overthrown there before the servants of David, and a great slaughter of twenty thousand took place there that day.
8For the battle there was scattered over the face of the whole countryside, and the woods devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.