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

Context of 2 Samuel 18:8

6David’s army marched out of the city to fight Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim. 7There Israel’s troops were routed by David’s men, and the casualties that day were great—twenty thousand men. The battle spread out over the whole countryside, and the forest swallowed up more men that day than the sword. 9Now Absalom happened to meet David’s men. He was riding his mule, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s hair got caught in the tree. He was left hanging in midair, while the mule he was riding kept on going. 10When one of the men saw what had happened, he told Joab, “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 on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the Lord hurled large hailstones down on them, and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.
• Judges 5:20From the heavens the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera.
• 1 Kings 20:30The rest of them escaped to the city of Aphek, where the wall collapsed on twenty-seven thousand of them. And Ben-Hadad fled to the city and hid in an inner room.
• Psalms 3:7Arise, Lord! Deliver me, my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.
• Psalms 43:1Vindicate me, my God, and plead my cause against an unfaithful nation. Rescue me from those who are deceitful and wicked.

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