2 Samuel 18:1

ABSALOM'S DISASTROUS DEFEAT AND DEATH

Absalom had crossed the Jordan River with an immense force of more than forty thousand men, referred to as "all Israel" in the text. He was riding at the forefront of this great army in royal style on a mule, probably the favorite mule that belonged to David. He had abandoned the chariot with fifty young men running before him and was riding in state anticipating the approaching overthrow of David, whom he supposed to be hiding in terror within the walls of Mahanaim. Strung out behind him for many miles were his soldiers. Absalom had probably rushed on ahead in order to find a good camping place not too far from Mahanaim, where his great army would pause and get ready for the final and fatal assault upon David's headquarters. It is simply incredible how much of this procedure was an enactment of the fanciful vision of Hushai who had filled Absalom's mind with this "victorious scenario," which was as utterly unrealistic as anything ever imagined!.

Amasa, the general whom Absalom had placed in control of so vast a force, made no effort whatever to guard against a surprise attack. Neither he nor Absalom had supposed for a moment that David would dare to attack such a tremendous military force as Absalom had brought together.

And what kind of military support had gathered around David? Josephus has this comment on that. "But when David had numbered his men and found them to be about four thousand, he resolved not to wait until Absalom attacked him";[1] but he organized his forces under three commanders and launched a devastating attack upon Absalom's army in such a manner that Absalom's forces were taken by surprise and slaughtered with a great slaughter.

DAVID ORGANIZED AND MUSTERED HIS MEN UNDER THREE COMMANDERS AND ORDERED THE ATTACK

"Then David mustered the men who were with him, and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. And David sent forth 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 Gitate. And the king said to the men, "I myself will also go out with you." But the men said, "You shall not go out. For if we flee, they will not care about us. If half of us die, they will not care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us; therefore it is better that you send us help from the city." The 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. And 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."

"One third under the command of Joab, one third under the command of Abishai ... and one third under the command of Ittai" (2 Samuel 18:2). "It was common war strategy in ancient times to divide the army into three bodies (Judges 7:16; 9:43; 1 Samuel 11:11; 13:17; and 2 Kings 9:5-6)."[2] In this particular case, however, there was another good reason. "Ittai had brought his clan of foreigners with him, and they would have been reluctant to fight under an Israelite commander, so David placed the foreigners under Ittai and the native troops under his nephews Joab and Abishai."[3]

"It is better that you send us help from the city" (2 Samuel 18:3). The men of David persuaded him not to go into battle for fear that his life might be taken away, but Absalom's men had taken no such precaution upon his behalf. In fact, it was Absalom's secret enemy Hushai who persuaded him to lead the army, "Thus serving Absalom's pride better than his prudence."[4] The argument of David's men here was that in case reinforcements were needed, David should remain behind at Mahanaim in order to send them if the situation required it.

"Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom" (2 Samuel 18:5). "Apparently, David still looked upon Absalom as merely a bad boy, and treated his rebellion as a youthful escape which he could forgive rather easily."[5] David seems not to have been able to understand that nothing on earth could resolve the conflict except either his own death, or that of Absalom. "This order of David put his military men in an impossible dilemma. How could they win the victory for David, and at the same time deal gently with Absalom"?[6]