t captains of
thousands and captains of hundreds over them. And David sent forth the
people, a third part 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 to the
people, "I will surely go forth with you myself also."

But the people said, "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 thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is
better that thou be ready to succor us out of the city."

And the king said to them, "What seemeth to you best I will do."

And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people went out by
hundreds and by thousands. And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and
Ittai, saying, "Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with
Absalom."

{444}

And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge
concerning Absalom. So the people went out into the field against
Israel: and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim. And the people of
Israel were smitten there before the servants of David, and there was
a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men. For the
battle was there spread over the face of all the country: and the
forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured. And
Absalom chanced to meet the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon
his 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 on. And a
certain man saw it and told Joab, and said, "Behold, I saw Absalom
hanging in an oak."

And Joab said to the man that told him, "And, behold, thou sawest it,
and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have
given thee ten pieces of silver and a girdle."

And the man said to Joab, "Though I should receive a thousand pieces
of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against
the king's son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai
and Ittai, saying, 'Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.'
Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no
matter hid from the king), then thou thyself wouldest have stood
aloof."

{445}{446}

[Illustration]
JERUSALEM, FROM THE WELL OF EN-ROGEL

"Leaving Jerusalem by St. Stephen's Gate an