2 Samuel 18:8
New International Version
The battle spread out over the whole countryside, and the forest swallowed up more men that day than the sword.

New Living Translation
The battle raged all across the countryside, and more men died because of the forest than were killed by the sword.

English Standard Version
The battle spread over the face of all the country, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword.

Berean Standard Bible
The battle spread over the whole countryside, and that day the forest devoured more people than the sword.

King James Bible
For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

New King James Version
For the battle there was scattered over the face of the whole countryside, and the woods devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

New American Standard Bible
For the battle there was spread over the whole countryside, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

NASB 1995
For the battle there was spread over the whole countryside, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

NASB 1977
For the battle there was spread over the whole countryside, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

Legacy Standard Bible
And the battle there was scattered over the whole countryside, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

Amplified Bible
For the battle there was spread out over the surface of the entire countryside, and the [hazards of the] forest devoured more men that day than did the sword.

Christian Standard Bible
The battle spread over the entire area, and that day the forest claimed more people than the sword.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The battle spread over the entire region, and that day the forest claimed more people than the sword.

American Standard Version
For the battle was there spread over the face of all the country; and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

English Revised Version
For the battle was there spread over the face of all the country: and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The fighting spread over the whole country. That day the woods devoured more people than the battle.

Good News Translation
The fighting spread over the countryside, and more men died in the forest than were killed in battle.

International Standard Version
The battle spread throughout the entire countryside, and the forest claimed more casualties that day than did the sword fighting.

Majority Standard Bible
The battle spread over the whole countryside, and that day the forest devoured more people than the sword.

NET Bible
The battle there was spread out over the whole area, and the forest consumed more soldiers than the sword devoured that day.

New Heart English Bible
For the battle spread over the entire region, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

Webster's Bible Translation
For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

World English Bible
For the battle was there spread over the surface of all the country, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and the battle there is scattered over the face of all the land, and the forest multiplies to devour among the people more than those whom the sword has devoured in that day.

Young's Literal Translation
and the battle is there scattered over the face of all the land, and the forest multiplieth to devour among the people more than those whom the sword hath devoured in that day.

Smith's Literal Translation
And there the battle will be scattered upon the face of all the earth: and the forest will multiply to consume of the people above what the sword will consume in that day.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the battle there was scattered over the face of all the country, and there were many more of the people whom the forest consumed, than whom the sword devoured that day.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Now the battle in that place was dispersed over the face of all the land. And there were many more of the people whom the forest had consumed, than the sword had devoured, on that day.

New American Bible
The battle spread out over that entire region, and the forest consumed more combatants that day than did the sword.

New Revised Standard Version
The battle spread over the face of all the country; and the forest claimed more victims that day than the sword.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For there was a great battle which spread over the face of the country; and the wild beasts of the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the battle was very great over the face of the land, and the beast of the forest consumed more of the people than the sword destroyed on that day
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
For the battle was there spread over the face of all the country; and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the battle there was scattered over the face of all the land: and the wood consumed more of the people than the sword consumed among the people in that day.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Absalom Killed
7There the people of Israel were defeated by David’s servants, and the slaughter was great that day—twenty thousand men. 8 The battle spread over the whole countryside, and that day the forest devoured more people than the sword. 9Now Absalom was riding on his mule when he met the servants of David, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s head was caught fast in the tree. The mule under him kept going, so that he was suspended in midair.…

Cross References
Judges 5:20-21
From the heavens the stars fought; from their courses they fought against Sisera. / The River Kishon swept them away, the ancient river, the River Kishon. March on, O my soul, in strength!

Joshua 10:11
As they fled before Israel along the descent from Beth-horon to Azekah, the LORD cast down on them large hailstones from the sky, and more of them were killed by the hailstones than by the swords of the Israelites.

1 Samuel 14:15
Then panic struck the Philistines in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Even those in the outposts and raiding parties trembled. Indeed, the earth quaked, and panic spread from God.

Isaiah 10:18-19
The splendor of its forests and orchards, both soul and body, it will completely destroy, as a sickness consumes a man. / The remaining trees of its forests will be so few that a child could count them.

Isaiah 24:18
Whoever flees the sound of panic will fall into the pit, and whoever climbs from the pit will be caught in the snare. For the windows of heaven are open, and the foundations of the earth are shaken.

Jeremiah 48:44
“Whoever flees the panic will fall into the pit, and whoever climbs from the pit will be caught in the snare. For I will bring upon Moab the year of their punishment,” declares the LORD.

Ezekiel 32:4-5
I will abandon you on the land and hurl you into the open field. I will cause all the birds of the air to settle upon you, and all the beasts of the earth to eat their fill of you. / I will put your flesh on the mountains and fill the valleys with your remains.

Psalm 18:7
Then the earth shook and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains trembled; they were shaken because He burned with anger.

Psalm 46:2-3
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth is transformed and the mountains are toppled into the depths of the seas, / though their waters roar and foam and the mountains quake in the surge. Selah

Psalm 83:13-15
Make them like tumbleweed, O my God, like chaff before the wind. / As fire consumes a forest, as a flame sets the mountains ablaze, / so pursue them with Your tempest, and terrify them with Your storm.

Revelation 6:15-17
Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the commanders, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and free man hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. / And they said to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. / For the great day of Their wrath has come, and who is able to withstand it?”

Revelation 12:16
But the earth helped the woman and opened its mouth to swallow up the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth.

Revelation 19:17-18
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out in a loud voice to all the birds flying overhead, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, / so that you may eat the flesh of kings and commanders and mighty men, of horses and riders, of everyone slave and free, small and great.”

Matthew 24:7
Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

Luke 21:11
There will be great earthquakes, famines, and pestilences in various places, along with fearful sights and great signs from heaven.


Treasury of Scripture

For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

Exodus 15:10
Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.

Joshua 10:11
And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.

Judges 5:20,21
They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera…

Jump to Previous
Battle Claimed Country Countryside Deaths Devour Devoured Face Fighting Forest Multiplieth Responsible Scattered Spread Surface Sword Whole Wood Woods
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Battle Claimed Country Countryside Deaths Devour Devoured Face Fighting Forest Multiplieth Responsible Scattered Spread Surface Sword Whole Wood Woods
2 Samuel 18
1. David viewing the armies in their march gives them charge of Absalom
6. The Israelites are sorely smitten in the wood of ephraim
9. Absalom, hanging in an oak is slain by Joab, and cast into a pit
18. Absalom's place
19. Ahimaaz and Cushi bring tidings to David
33. David mourns for Absalom














The battle spread over the whole countryside
This phrase indicates the extensive nature of the conflict between David's forces and those of Absalom. The battle took place in the forest of Ephraim, a region east of the Jordan River. This area was known for its dense woods and rugged terrain, which would have made traditional combat difficult. The widespread nature of the battle suggests a chaotic and unpredictable engagement, reflecting the disorder that often accompanies civil strife. The geographical setting emphasizes the strategic challenges faced by both armies, as the terrain could easily disrupt formations and communication.

and that day the forest devoured more people than the sword
The forest of Ephraim is depicted almost as an active participant in the battle, claiming more lives than the combat itself. This can be seen as a divine intervention, where natural elements play a role in the outcome of human conflicts. The forest's dense undergrowth, hidden ravines, and possibly wild animals would have posed significant dangers to soldiers unfamiliar with the terrain. This imagery of the forest "devouring" people may also symbolize the consequences of Absalom's rebellion against his father, King David, highlighting the futility and self-destructive nature of opposing God's anointed king. Theologically, it underscores the belief that God can use any means to achieve His purposes, even the natural environment. This event can be connected to other instances in Scripture where God uses nature to fulfill His will, such as the parting of the Red Sea in Exodus or the great fish in the story of Jonah.

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
- The King of Israel, who is in conflict with his son Absalom.

2. Absalom
- David's son, who has rebelled against his father and is leading a revolt.

3. The Forest of Ephraim
- The location where the battle takes place, known for its dense and treacherous terrain.

4. The Battle
- A significant conflict between the forces of David and Absalom.

5. The Soldiers
- The men fighting on both sides, many of whom perish in the forest.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty in Battle
The unexpected role of the forest in the battle reminds us that God is in control of all circumstances, even in warfare.

The Consequences of Rebellion
Absalom's rebellion against David leads to unnecessary loss of life, illustrating the destructive nature of sin and disobedience.

The Unpredictability of Life
Just as the forest claimed more lives than the sword, life can be unpredictable, and we must trust in God's plan and protection.

The Role of Nature in God's Plan
Nature is often used by God to fulfill His purposes, as seen in the forest's impact on the battle's outcome.

The Importance of Seeking God's Guidance
In conflicts and decisions, seeking God's guidance is crucial, as human efforts alone can lead to unforeseen consequences.(8) The wood devoured more.--The battle and the pursuit covered a wide range of country; more were slain in the pursuit through the wood, both by accident and by the sword, than in the actual battle itself.

Verse 8. - The battle was there scattered. The word in the Hebrew is a noun, which the Massorites have changed into a participle. But the noun is right: "The battle became a scattering," that is, it was a series of disconnected encounters, in which David's three divisions attacked and routed Absalom's men, while still on the march, without giving them an opportunity of collecting and forming in order of battle. And the wood devoured more people that day thin the sword devoured. The woodland was difficult, full of gorges and begs and steep defiles leading down to the Jordan, and the fugitives easily lest their way in it, and wandered about till they were hopelessly entangled in thicket and morass.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The battle
הַמִּלְחָמָ֛ה (ham·mil·ḥā·māh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4421: A battle, war

spread
נָפֹ֖צֶת‪‬ (nā·p̄ō·ṣeṯ)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 6327: To be dispersed or scattered

over
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the whole
כָל־ (ḵāl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

countryside,
הָאָ֑רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

and that
הַהֽוּא׃ (ha·hū)
Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

day
בַּיּ֥וֹם (bay·yō·wm)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117: A day

the forest
הַיַּ֙עַר֙ (hay·ya·‘ar)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3293: A copse of bushes, a forest, honey in the comb

devoured
לֶאֱכֹ֣ל (le·’ĕ·ḵōl)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 398: To eat

more
וַיֶּ֤רֶב (way·ye·reḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7235: To be or become much, many or great

people
בָּעָ֔ם (bā·‘ām)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

than
מֵאֲשֶׁ֥ר (mê·’ă·šer)
Preposition-m | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

the sword.
הַחֶ֖רֶב (ha·ḥe·reḇ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword


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OT History: 2 Samuel 18:8 For the battle was there spread over (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 18:7
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