4. The king said to them, Whatever seems best to you I will do. So he stood beside the gate, and all the army came out by hundreds and by thousands.
5. The king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, 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.
6. So the army went out into the field against Israel, and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim.
7. [Absalom's] men of Israel were defeated by the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter that day of 20,000 men.