2 Samuel 18:6

¶ So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battell was in the wood of Ephraim,
- King James Version (1611) - View 1611 Bible Scan

Then the people went out into the field against Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.
- New American Standard Version (1995)

So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.
- American Standard Version (1901)

So the people went out into the field against Israel, and the fight took place in the woods of Ephraim.
- Basic English Bible

And the people went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.
- Darby Bible

So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim;
- Webster's Bible

So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.
- World English Bible

And the people goeth out into the field to meet Israel, and the battle is in a forest of Ephraim;
- Youngs Literal Bible

So the people went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.
- Jewish Publication Society Bible

Wesley's Notes for 2 Samuel 18:6

18:5 Deal gently - If you conquer (which be presaged they would by God's gracious answer to his prayer for the turning of Ahithophel's counsel into foolishness,) take him prisoner, but do not kill him. Which desire proceeded, from his great indulgence towards his children: from his consciousness that he himself was the meritorious cause of this rebellion, Absalom being given up to it for the punishment of David's sins; from the consideration of his youth, which commonly makes men foolish, and subject to ill counsels: and from his piety, being loth that he should be cut off in the act of his sin without any space for repentance. But ''what means, says Bp. Hall, this ill - placed mercy? Deal gently with a traitor? Of all traitors with a son? And all this for thy sake, whose crown, whose blood he hunts after? Even in the holiest parents nature may be guilty of an injurious tenderness. But was not this done in type of that unmeasurable mercy, of the true King of Israel, who prayed for his murderers, Father, forgive them! Deal gently with them for my sake! Yea, when God sends an affliction to correct his children, it is with this charge, deal gently with them for my sake: for he knows our frame.

18:8 The wood - More people died in the wood, either through hunger, and thirst, and weariness: or, by the wild beasts, whereof great numbers were there, which, though they were driven away from the place of the main battle, yet might easily meet with them when they fled several ways: or, by falling into ditches and pits, which were in that place, ver.#17|, and probably were covered with grass or wood, so that they could not see them till they fell into them: and especially by David's men, who pursued them, and killed them in the wood: and the wood is rightly said to have devoured them, because it gave the occasion to their destruction, inasmuch as the trees, and ditches, and pits, entangled them, and stopped their flight, and made them an easy prey to David's men, who followed them, and slew them in the pursuit. The sword - In the main battle: the sword being put for the battle, by a common figure.