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.
The battle spread out across the entire countryside, and more people died that day from getting lost or trapped in the forest than were killed by swords in combat.
This verse describes how the dense forest itself became more deadly than the actual fighting, claiming more lives than weapons did.
📚 Historical Context
This verse is from the biblical narrative in 2 Samuel, which describes the rebellion of Absalom, King David's son, who sought to usurp the throne and forced David to flee Jerusalem. During the ensuing battle in the forest of Ephraim, David's army clashed with Absalom's forces, but the dense woodland terrain caused more deaths through accidents, wild animals, and disorientation than from direct sword fighting. This event underscores the chaos of civil war in ancient Israel and how environmental factors could amplify the horrors of conflict.
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