2 Samuel 11:25

Then David said unto the messenger, apparently with the quiet of a commander whom such evil news could not disturb in his equanimity and in his certainty of eventual victory, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another, literally, "so and so devours the sword," that is the fortune of war: make thy battle more strong against the city and overthrow it, the siege should be pressed until the city was taken; and encourage thou him, for the messenger evidently himself was one of the officers in the army. He indicated his confidence that the courage and ability of the soldiers of Joab would surely bring the campaign to a successful close.