⁹ At this very moment he is hiding out in one of the caves or in some other similar place. If it should turn out that he attacks our troops first,^[a] whoever hears about it will say, ‘Absalom’s army has been slaughtered!’ ¹⁰ If that happens even the bravest soldier—one who is lion-hearted—will virtually melt away. For all Israel knows that your father is a warrior and that those who are with him are brave. ¹¹ My advice therefore is this: Let all Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba—in number like the sand by the sea—be mustered to you, and you lead them personally into battle.