2 Samuel 18:2-4

Lexham English Bible

² David sent forth a third of the troops under the command of Joab,^[a] and a third under the command of Abishai,^[b] the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and the remaining third under the command of Ittai^[c] the Gittite. And the king said to the troops, “I, even I, will certainly go out^[d] with you.” ³ Then the troops said, “You will not go out, for if we must flee,^[e] then they will not care about us;^[f] even if half of us die, they will not care about us,^[g] but now, you are like ten thousand of us. And so then, it is better for us that you be in the city to help.” ⁴ The king said to them, “I will do what seems good in your eyes.” So the king stood at the side of the gate while all of the troops went out by hundreds and by thousands.