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 describes the battle between King David's forces and his rebellious son Absalom's army in the forest of Ephraim. The thick, unfamiliar woodland terrain worked against Absalom's larger army, causing soldiers to become separated, lost, and vulnerable to natural dangers. Ancient battles often depended heavily on terrain, and dense forests could be treacherous for large military formations.
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