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2 Samuel 18:8

Forest of Ephraim

6 So David’s army marched into the field to engage Israel in the battle, which took place in the forest of Ephraim.

7 There the people of Israel were defeated by David’s servants, and the slaughter was great that day—twenty thousand men.

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

9 Now 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.

10 When one of the men saw this, he told Joab, “I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!”

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Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
The battle spread over the whole countryside, and that day the forest devoured more people than the sword.
KJV
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.
WEB
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.
ASV
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.
DARBY
And the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country; and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
BLB
For the battle there was scattered over the face of all the land, and the forest multiplied to devour the people more than the sword devoured that day.
ÅB
Og striden bredte seg ut over hele landet deromkring, og skogen fortærte den dag flere av folket enn sverdet fortærte.
OTB
Slaget spredte seg over hele landet, og skogen fortærte flere folk den dagen enn sverdet fortærte.
B1930
Og striden bredte sig ut over hele landet deromkring, og skogen fortærte den dag flere av folket enn sverdet fortærte.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Exodus 15:10

    But You blew with Your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters.

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  • 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.

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  • Psalms 3:7

    Arise, O LORD! Save me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.

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  • Judges 5:20–21

    From the heavens the stars fought; from their courses they fought against Sisera.

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  • 1 Kings 20:30

    The rest of them fled into the city of Aphek, where the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of the remaining men. Ben-hadad also fled to the city and hid in an inner room.

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  • Psalms 43:1

    Vindicate me, O God, and plead my case against an ungodly nation; deliver me from deceitful and unjust men.

    Read in context