2 Samuel 18:8

2 Samuel 18:8 in other versions

• King James Version (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.
• New International Version (NIV)The battle spread out over the whole countryside, and the forest swallowed up more men that day than the sword.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The battle spread over the face of all the country, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword.
• New King James Version (NKJV)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.

Context of 2 Samuel 18:8

6Then David’s forces marched into the field to engage Israel in battle, which took place in the forest of Ephraim. 7Israel’s army was defeated by David’s soldiers, and the slaughter there was vast that day — twenty thousand dead. The battle spread over the entire area, and that day the forest claimed more people than the sword. 9Absalom was riding on his mule when he happened to meet David’s soldiers. When the mule went under the tangled branches of a large oak tree, Absalom’s head was caught fast in the tree. The mule under him kept going, so he was suspended in midair. 10One of the men saw him and informed Joab. He said, “I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!”

2 Samuel 18:8 word by word

וַתְּהִי־שָׁ֧ם הַמִּלְחָמָ֛ה נָפֹ֖צֶת עַל־פְּנֵ֣י כָל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיֶּ֤רֶב הַיַּ֙עַר֙ לֶאֱכֹ֣ל בָּעָ֔ם מֵאֲשֶׁ֥ר אָכְלָ֛ה הַחֶ֖רֶב בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• For the battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
• was there scatteredפּוּץpûts · to scatterH6327
• over the faceפָּנֶהpânîym · face: surfaceH6440
• of all the countryאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• and the woodיַ֫עַרya‛ar · woodH3293
• devouredאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• moreרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
• peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• that dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• than the swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 18:8

• Exodus 15:10But you blew with your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters.
• Joshua 10:11As they fled before Israel, the Lord threw large hailstones on them from the sky along the descent of Beth-horon all the way to Azekah, and they died. More of them died from the hail than the Israelites killed with the sword.
• Judges 5:20The stars fought from the heavens; the stars fought with Sisera from their paths.
• 1 Kings 20:30The ones who remained fled into the city of Aphek, and the wall fell on those twenty-seven thousand remaining men. Ben-hadad also fled and went into an inner room in the city.
• Psalms 3:7Rise up, Lord! Save me, my God! You strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked.
• Psalms 43:1Vindicate me, God, and champion my cause against an unfaithful nation; rescue me from the deceitful and unjust person.

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 18:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8The wood devoured more people - It is generally supposed that, when the army was broken, they betook themselves to the wood, fell into pits, swamps, etc., and, being entangled, were hewn down by David's men; but the Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic, state that they were devoured by wild beasts in the wood.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8The battle was scattered - Probably Absalom‘s forces were far more numerous than David‘s; but, most likely by Joab‘s skillful generalship, the field of battle was such that numbers did not tell, and David‘s veteran troops were able to destroy Absalom‘s rabble in detail. The wood entangled them, and was perhaps full of pits, precipices, and morasses 2 Samuel 18:17.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8the forest devoured more people: The land in the forest (its rough ground and thick growth) removed the numerical advantage of Absalom’s army.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. the wood devoured more people than the sword--The thick forest of oaks and terebinths, by obstructing the flight, greatly aided the victors in the pursuit.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 18:8

• Ephraim

In the dictionaries

• That Day
• Charge
• David
• Ephraim, Wood of
• Forest
• Lift
• Pillar
• Rise
• Thrust
• Armor; Arms

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings