From the Death of Saul to the Death of David - Flavius Josephus

Chapter 10
Absalom Was Slain
1. And this was the state of David and his followers: but Absalom got
together a vast army of the Hebrews to oppose his father, and passed
therewith over the river Jordan, and sat down not far off Mahanaim, in the
country of Gilead. He appointed Amasa to be captain of all his host, instead
of Joab his kinsman: his father was Ithra and his mother Abigail: now she
and Zeruiah, the mother of Joab, were David's sisters. But when David had
numbered his followers, and found them to be about four thousand, he
resolved not to tarry till Absalom attacked him, but set over his men captains
of thousands, and captains of hundreds, and divided his army into three parts;
the one part he committed to Joab, the next to Abishai, Joab's brother, and
the third to Ittai, David's companion and friend, but one that came from the
city Gath; and when he was desirous of fighting himself among them, his
friends would not let him: and this refusal of theirs was founded upon very
wise reasons: "For," said they, "if we be conquered when he is with us, we
have lost all good hopes of recovering ourselves; but if we should be beaten
in one part of our army, the other parts may retire to him, and may thereby
prepare a greater force, while the enemy will naturally suppose that he hath
another army with him." So David was pleased with this their advice, and
resolved himself to tarry at Mahanaim; and as he sent his friends and
commanders to the battle, he desired them to show all possible alacrity and
fidelity, and to bear in mind what advantages they had received from him,
which, though they had not been very great, yet had they not been quite
inconsiderable; and he begged of them to spare the young man Absalom, lest
some mischief should befall himself, if he should be killed; and thus did he
send out his army to the battle, and wished them victory therein.
2. Then did Joab put his army in battle-array over against the enemy in
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