2 Samuel 18 7

2 Samuel 18:7 kjv

Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men.

2 Samuel 18:7 nkjv

The people of Israel were overthrown there before the servants of David, and a great slaughter of twenty thousand took place there that day.

2 Samuel 18:7 niv

There Israel's troops were routed by David's men, and the casualties that day were great?twenty thousand men.

2 Samuel 18:7 esv

And the men of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and the loss there was great on that day, twenty thousand men.

2 Samuel 18:7 nlt

and the Israelite troops were beaten back by David's men. There was a great slaughter that day, and 20,000 men laid down their lives.

2 Samuel 18 verses

2 Samuel 18 7 Meaning

The verse states that in the decisive battle fought in the forest of Ephraim, David's loyal military forces inflicted a catastrophic defeat on Absalom's army, resulting in the death of 20,000 men. This high casualty count signifies a devastating loss for Absalom's rebellion and a clear victory for King David's reign, emphasizing the severity of divine judgment and the tragic cost of civil war among God's people.

2 Samuel 18 7 Context

2 Samuel 18:7 describes a key moment during the Battle of the Forest of Ephraim, a pivotal confrontation in Absalom’s rebellion against his father, King David. Having stolen the hearts of Israel and usurped the throne in Hebron (2 Sam 15), Absalom mustered a large army and marched to confront David's forces. This verse captures the overwhelming success of David’s loyalists in battle, a conflict driven by immense personal and national stakes. Historically and culturally, ancient battles were brutal, with high stakes for the kingdom's stability. Rebellion against a divinely anointed king like David was considered an act against God Himself, bearing severe consequences. The conflict also highlights the tragic internal division within Israel, where fellow countrymen fought against each other, a bitter outcome foreseen as punishment for David's sins (2 Sam 12:10).

2 Samuel 18 7 Word analysis

• And: Connects this action directly to the preceding narrative, signaling a continuation of the intense events of the battle that erupted.
• the servants of David: Refers to David's loyal military commanders and troops, led by figures like Joab, Abishai, and Ittai the Gittite (2 Sam 18:2). This highlights that the victory was achieved through David's delegated authority, not his direct presence on the battlefield, reflecting divine strategic support for his leadership.
• struck down and killed: The Hebrew verb for "struck down" (וַיַּכּוּ, vayyakku from the root נָכָה, nakah) is often translated as "slew" or "smote" and inherently carries the sense of inflicting a fatal blow in a battle context. The English rendering "and killed" emphasizes the finality and deadliness of their actions, indicating a complete and devastating victory.
• 20,000 men: (עֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף אִישׁ, 'esrim 'eleph 'ish) A massive number that underscores the scale of the victory and the overwhelming defeat of Absalom's forces. While specific numbers in ancient texts can sometimes serve a thematic purpose of conveying complete victory, it undeniably represents a catastrophic loss of life for the rebellious faction. This figure speaks to the decisive nature of the rout.
• there: Refers to the location of the battle, the "forest of Ephraim" (2 Sam 18:6). This detail is crucial because the rugged and dense terrain of the forest itself became a significant factor in Absalom's army's disorganization and higher casualties (2 Sam 18:8), an element many scholars consider to be an indirect expression of divine intervention.
• the people of Absalom: (עַם אַבְשָׁלוֹם, 'am 'Avshalom) Identifies the victims as followers of Absalom, emphasizing the tragic reality of civil war—Israelites fighting and dying at the hands of fellow Israelites. This group comprised those swayed by Absalom’s charisma and political maneuvering, rebelling against God’s anointed king.

• the servants of David struck down and killed: This phrase highlights the effective and decisive military action of David's loyal forces. Their agency in carrying out the complete defeat underscores their unwavering allegiance and strategic execution, contributing directly to the crushing blow against the rebellion. This reflects divine empowerment of David’s chosen representatives.
• 20,000 men there: This numerical and locational group of words points to the sheer magnitude of the victory and the specific, divinely orchestrated environment (the difficult terrain of the forest) that exacerbated Absalom's defeat. It solidifies the irreversible nature of Absalom's military failure.
• the people of Absalom: This grouping emphasizes the specific identity of the defeated, foregrounding the heartbreaking reality that these were fellow Israelites, citizens of God’s covenant people, who fell in this fratricidal conflict due to a son’s ambition and rebellion against his father and king.

2 Samuel 18 7 Bonus section

The high number of casualties (20,000 men) in this verse, coupled with the mention in 2 Samuel 18:8 that "the forest devoured more people... than the sword," emphasizes the chaotic and uncoordinated nature of Absalom's army. His forces, though numerous, were reportedly less disciplined and perhaps poorly led compared to David's veteran fighters. This unexpected ally in the terrain further highlighted a possible divine element in David's victory, as natural elements often feature in biblical accounts of God's intervention. The magnitude of this defeat reveals the profound societal consequences when God's established order is challenged through personal ambition, bringing not just a military loss but national sorrow. It’s a sobering illustration that the path of rebellion, particularly against divine authority or anointing, leads to ruin, often impacting many innocent lives in the process.

2 Samuel 18 7 Commentary

2 Samuel 18:7 succinctly conveys the devastating blow dealt to Absalom’s rebellion, marking the decisive military turning point of the conflict. The death of 20,000 men under Absalom's banner was not merely a military statistic but a grim testament to the high cost of disloyalty and pride. This verse underscores the divine vindication of King David's reign, even amidst his own past failures. Despite Absalom’s popular appeal and large forces, God's protection of His anointed ensured victory for David’s cause. The battle’s severity and scale, notably aided by the "forest devouring more than the sword," illustrate that outcomes are often shaped by more than human strategy alone, suggesting God's hand in creating confusion and vulnerability among the rebellious forces. This battle ultimately brought the usurper's revolt to a bloody end, solidifying David’s kingship but at the tragic cost of national unity and familial devastation, fulfilling the prophecy of the "sword not departing" from David's house.