181 And David inspecteth the people who 'are' with him, and setteth over them heads of thousands and heads of hundreds, 2 and David sendeth the third of the people by the hand of Joab, and the third by the hand of Abishai, son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, and the third by the hand of Ittai the Gittite, and the king saith unto the people, 'I certainly go out—I also—with you.' 3 And the people say, 'Thou dost not go out, for if we utterly flee, they do not set 'their' heart upon us; and if half of us die, they do not set 'their' heart unto us—for now like us 'are' ten thousand; and now, better that thou be to us from the city for an helper.' 4 And the king saith unto them, 'That which is good in your eyes I do;' and the king standeth at the side of the gate, and all the people have gone out by hundreds and by thousands,
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Samuel 18:1-4
Commentary on 2 Samuel 18:1-8
(Read 2 Samuel 18:1-8)
How does David render good for evil! Absalom would have only David smitten; David would have only Absalom spared. This seems to be a resemblance of man's wickedness towards God, and God's mercy to man, of which it is hard to say which is most amazing. Now the Israelites see what it is to take counsel against the Lord and his anointed.