Davidsentthe peopleout, one thirdunder the commandof Joab,one thirdunder the commandof Abishaithe sonof Zeruiah,Joab'sbrother,and one thirdunder the commandof Ittaithe Gittite.And the kingsaidto the people,"I myselfwill surelygoout with you also."
"But I counselthat allIsraelbe surelygatheredto you, from Daneven to Beersheba,as the sandthat is by the seain abundance,and that you personallygointo battle.
But Abishaithe sonof Zeruiahhelpedhim, and struckthe Philistineand killedhim. Thenthe menof Davidsworeto him, saying,"You shall not goout againwith us to battle,sothat you do not extinguishthe lampof Israel."
Abishai,the brotherof Joab,the sonof Zeruiah,was chiefof the thirty.And he swunghis spearagainstthreehundredand killed[them], and had a nameas well as the three.
Joabthe sonof Zeruiah[was] overthe army,and Jehoshaphatthe sonof Ahilud[was] recorder.
Now the newscameto Joab,for Joabhad followedAdonijah,although he had not followedAbsalom.And Joabfledto the tentof the LORDand tookholdof the hornsof the altar.
I will not be afraidof tenthousandsof peopleWhohave setthemselves againstme roundabout.
He dividedthe 300meninto threecompanies,and he puttrumpetsand emptypitchersinto the handsof allof them, with torchesinsidethe pitchers.
So Gideonand the hundredmenwhowere with him cameto the outskirtsof the campat the beginningof the middlewatch,whenthey had justpostedthe watch;and they blewthe trumpetsand smashedthe pitchersthat were in their hands.
So he tookhis peopleand dividedthem into threecompanies,and layin waitin the field;when he lookedand sawthe peoplecomingout from the city,he aroseagainstthem and slewthem.
The nextmorningSaulputthe peoplein threecompanies;and they cameinto the midstof the campat the morningwatchand struckdownthe Ammonitesuntilthe heatof the day.Those who survivedwere scattered,so that notwoof them were lefttogether.
