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Sunday, August 17th, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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Christian Standard Bible ®

2 Samuel 18:6

Then David’s forces marched into the field to engage Israel in battle, which took place in the forest of Ephraim.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ephraim;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Forests;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ahimaaz;   Ephraim;   Joab;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Absalom;   Ephraim;   Easton Bible Dictionary - David;   Ephraim, Wood of;   Forest;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Abishai;   Amasa;   Ephraim;   Joab;   Samuel, Books of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Forest;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Absalom;   David;   Ephraim;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Am'asa;   E'phra-Im, the Wood of,;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Ephraim;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ephraim, Forest of;   Forest;   Gilead (1);   Wood of Ephraim;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Forest;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
So the people went out into the field against Yisra'el: and the battle was in the forest of Efrayim.
King James Version
So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim;
Lexham English Bible
The army went out to the field to meet Israel, and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim.
English Standard Version
So the army went out into the field against Israel, and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim.
New Century Version
David's army went out into the field against Absalom's Israelites, and they fought in the forest of Ephraim.
New English Translation
Then the army marched out to the field to fight against Israel. The battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.
Amplified Bible
So the men went out into the field against Israel, and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim.
New American Standard Bible
Then the people went out to the field against Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.
Geneva Bible (1587)
So the people went out into the fielde to meete Israel, and the battell was in the wood of Ephraim:
Legacy Standard Bible
Then the people went out into the field to meet Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.
Complete Jewish Bible
So the people went out into the field against Isra'el; the battle took place in the forest of Efrayim.
Darby Translation
And the people went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.
Easy-to-Read Version
David's army went out into the field against Absalom's Israelites. They fought in the forest of Ephraim.
George Lamsa Translation
So the people went out into the field against Israel;
Good News Translation
David's army went out into the countryside and fought the Israelites in Ephraim Forest.
Literal Translation
And the people went into the field to meet Israel. And the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And whan the people were come forth in to the felde agaynst Israel, the battayll beganne in the wod of Ephraim.
American Standard Version
So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.
Bible in Basic English
So the people went out into the field against Israel, and the fight took place in the woods of Ephraim.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And so the people wet out into the fielde against Israel (and the battel was in the wood of Ephraim)
JPS Old Testament (1917)
So the people went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.
King James Version (1611)
So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battell was in the wood of Ephraim,
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And all the people went out into the wood against Israel; and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim.
English Revised Version
So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.
Berean Standard Bible
So David's army marched into the field to engage Israel in the battle, which took place in the forest of Ephraim.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor the puple yede out in to the feeld ayens Israel; and the batel was maad in the forest of Effraym.
Young's Literal Translation
And the people goeth out into the field to meet Israel, and the battle is in a forest of Ephraim;
Update Bible Version
So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.
Webster's Bible Translation
So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim;
World English Bible
So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.
New King James Version
So the people went out into the field of battle against Israel. And the battle was in the woods of Ephraim.
New Living Translation
So the battle began in the forest of Ephraim,
New Life Bible
Then the people went out into the field to fight against Israel. The battle was fought among the trees of Ephraim.
New Revised Standard
So the army went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So the people went forth into the field against Israel, - and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.
Douay-Rheims Bible
So the people went out into the field against Israel, and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim.
Revised Standard Version
So the army went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was fought in the forest of E'phraim.
THE MESSAGE
The army took the field to meet Israel. It turned out that the battle was joined in the Forest of Ephraim. The army of Israel was beaten badly there that day by David's men, a terrific slaughter—twenty thousand men! There was fighting helter-skelter all over the place—the forest claimed more lives that day than the sword!
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then the people went out into the field against Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.

Contextual Overview

1David reviewed his troops and appointed commanders of thousands and of hundreds over them. 2He then sent out the troops, a third under Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai of Gath. The king said to the troops, “I must also march out with you.” 3“You must not go!” the people pleaded. “If we have to flee, they will not pay any attention to us. Even if half of us die, they will not pay any attention to us because you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore, it is better if you support us from the city.” 4“I will do whatever you think is best,” the king replied to them. So he stood beside the city gate while all the troops marched out by hundreds and thousands. 5The king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Treat the young man Absalom gently for my sake.” All the people heard the king’s orders to all the commanders about Absalom. 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. 8The battle spread over the entire area, and that day the forest claimed more people than the sword.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

wood of Ephraim: The wood of Ephraim was evidently beyond Jordan, and apparently not far from Mahanaim; and it is supposed to be the place where the Ephraimites were slain by Jephthah. Joshua 17:15, Joshua 17:18, Judges 12:4-6

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 19:8 - for Israel 2 Samuel 22:44 - delivered

Cross-References

Isaiah 32:8
But a noble person plans noble things;he stands up for noble causes.
Matthew 13:33
He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven
Acts 16:15
After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.
Romans 12:13
Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality.
Galatians 5:13
For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.
Hebrews 13:2
Don’t neglect to show hospitality, for by doing this some have welcomed angels as guests without knowing it.
1 Peter 4:9
Be hospitable to one another without complaining.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

So the people went out into the field against Israel,.... Josephus e calls it a great field, with a wood behind it:

and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim; or near it f rather; not in a wood in the tribe of Ephraim, which lay on this side Jordan; whereas this battle was fought on the other side Jordan, in the land of Gilead, not far from Mahanaim, where was this wood; and which was so called, either from the slaughter of the Ephraimites here in the times of Jephthah, Judges 12:4; or from the Ephraimites feeding their cattle here and near it; for the Jews say g, that Joshua gave them a grant to feed their cattle in any wood in any of the tribes of Israel; and lying near Jordan, they used to drive their cattle over to this place, from whence it had its name.

e Ut supra, (Antiqu. l. 7. c. 10.) sect. 2. f ביער "ad sylvam", Junius Tremellius "prope sylvam", Piscator. g In Jarchi, Kimchi, & Abarbinel, in loc.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Against Israel - Implying that the revolt was in a great measure that of the ten tribes, Saul’s party, against the kingdom.

The wood of Ephraim - This would naturally be sought in the west of Jordan (marginal reference). But on the other hand it seems certain that the scene of this battle was on the east of Jordan. It seems therefore inevitable to conclude that some portion of the thick wood of oaks and terebinths which still runs down to the Jordan on the east side was for some reason called “the wood of Ephraim,” either because it was a continuation on the east side of the great Ephraimitic forests on the west, or because of some transaction there in which Ephraim had taken part, such as the slaughter of the Midianites Judges 7:24-25, or their own slaughter Judges 12:6.


 
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