2 Samuel 18:1-3

Revised Geneva Translation

18 Then David counted the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands over them, and captains of hundreds.

² And David sent forth one third of the people under the hand of Joab, and one third of those under the hand of Abishai, Joab’s brother, the son of Zeruiah, and one third of those under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, “I will also go with you myself.”

³ But the people answered, “You shall not go forth! For if we flee away, they will not care about us! Nor will they care about us if half of us were killed! But you are now worth ten thousand of us! Therefore, now, it is better that you help us out of the city!”