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David: All right. I’ll do what you think is best.

David is torn between his duties as king and his duties as father. When his own son attempts to overthrow him, he is forced to flee his kingdom and is subjected to ridicule and contempt. Absalom sleeps with all the royal concubines, a deadly insult, and it looks as though David will be overthrown just as Saul was before him. Even now with Absalom leading an outright rebellion, dishonoring his father, and seeking his death, David seeks to spare his son.

So David stood beside the gate while his soldiers marched out to fight against Absalom, organized into fighting units by the hundreds and by the thousands. Then David instructed his generals Joab, Abishai, and Ittai.

David: For my sake, be merciful to the young man Absalom.

Now everyone had heard about David’s instructions to the commanders concerning Absalom.

Then the army went out to fight against Israel, and the battle was fought in the wooded areas of Ephraim.

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The king answered, “I will do whatever seems best to you.”

So the king stood beside the gate while all his men marched out in units of hundreds and of thousands. The king commanded Joab, Abishai and Ittai, “Be gentle with the young man Absalom for my sake.” And all the troops heard the king giving orders concerning Absalom to each of the commanders.

David’s army marched out of the city to fight Israel, and the battle took place in the forest(A) of Ephraim.

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