2 Samuel 18

2 Samuel 18:1 And David numbered the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. 2 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." 3 But the people answered, "You shall not go out! For if we flee away, they will not care about us; nor if half of us die, will they care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us now. For you are now more help to us in the city."

“‘And David numbered the people who were with him—Concerning the number, David was once reprimanded for numbering the people. “The word [here] means rather ‘mustered’. David was some time at Mahanaim, organising the forces which continually gathered to him there.” (C. J. Ellicott) “The hardy mountaineers of Gilead came in great numbers at the call of their chieftains.”(Jamieson) They came to his standard. “But Jonathan had before learnt that there is no restraint on the LORD, to save by many or by few, 1 Samuel 14:6. Sweet thought to the believer amidst all his warfare!” (Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary)

The army of David consisted of three divisions. “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.” (John Trapp) And a noteworthy third part was under “Ittai, the Philistine general who had faithfully followed the fortunes of the king.” (Joseph Sutcliffe) He was grafted in. “David was ready to go forth with his warriors, but the people refused to let him go.” (Arno Gaebelein) “Signifying that a good governor is so dear to his people that they would rather lose their lives than have anything happen to him.” (The Pulpit Commentary)

2 Samuel 18:5 Now 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. 6 So the people went out into the field of battle against Israel. And the battle was in the woods of Ephraim. 7 The people of Israel were overthrown there before the servants of David, and a great slaughter of twenty thousand took place there that day. 8 For the battle there was scattered over the face of the whole countryside, and the woods devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

"Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom." The general’s intent seems vague to be but is cleared up by the interpretation of a man on the battlefield: “Beware lest anyone touch the young man Absalom!” (2 Sam 18:12) “Absalom would have David only smitten. David would have Absalom only spared. What foils are these to each other! Never was unnatural hatred to a father more strong than in Absalom; nor was ever natural affection to a child more strong than in David. Each did his utmost, and showed what man is capable of doing, how bad it is possible for a child to be to the best of fathers and how good it is possible for a father to be to the worst of children; as if it were designed to be a resemblance of man's wickedness towards God and God's mercy towards man, of which it is hard to say which is more amazing.” (Matthew Henry)

“’And the battle was in the woods of Ephraim,' which "lay beyond Jordan, and was not in the lot of Ephraim; but was called so, either because Jephthah defeated the Ephraimites there, Judges 12.” (Sutcliffe) “’The people of Israel were overthrown there before the servants of David.’(7a) Implying that the revolt was in a great measure that of the ten tribes, Saul's party, against the kingdom [ruled by the man of Judah].” (Barnes)— “And a great slaughter of twenty thousand took place there that day. For the battle there was scattered over the face of the whole countryside, and the woods devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.’ (6-8) “The woody region was most likely full of ravines, precipices, and marches, into which the flying foe was pursued, and where so many perished.” (Keil and Delitzsch) “But of Him, who according to the flesh is the Son of David, we say, ‘He alone is worthy.’” (Gaebelein) He is ”the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.“ (SOS 2:1) He is chief among ten thousand. “For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges.” (Deut 32:31) David swore to make His name “to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.” (Ps45:17) This Greater Son of David “shall consume the glory of His forest, and of His fruitful field, both soul and body: and they shall be as when a standard bearer fainteth.” (Isa 10:18)