2 Samuel 18:2

A third part. The army was organized into three grand divisions. How large each of these divisions was is not revealed. Some think that there was a total of only 3,000 men, with 1,000 men in each division, but of this there is no evidence. The division of armies into three parts seems to have been common among the Hebrews (see Judges 7:16; 9:43; 1 Sam. 11:11).

The hand of Joab. Joab was the commander in chief, under David. His name is always listed first among the three commanders (see vs. 5, 12), and he is clearly recognized as the one in supreme command (vs. 10, 16, 20, 21, 29). Joab was made “chief” of the army when David first captured Jerusalem (1 Chron. 11:6), and at the close of David’s reign he still held the supreme command (2 Sam. 24:2; 1 Chron. 27:34).

Ittai the Gittite. Ittai was of the Philistine city of Gath and had only recently come to Israel and joined himself to the forces of David (ch. 15:19-21). He had accepted the Hebrew religion and proved himself true both to David and to Israel’s God (see PP 732).

Surely go forth. David was facing the supreme crisis of his career, but he lacked nothing of courage. He was willing to take the same risks he was asking of his people, and more.