שמואל ב, פרק י״ח, פסוק ח׳

The collapse of the rebel forces was not merely a military loss, but a mass disaster fueled by panic and the unforgiving forces of nature. As fear gripped the fighters, the battlefield quickly spiraled out of control. Instead of maintaining the strength of a united front, the troops broke their ranks. This widespread scattering is recognized by most commentators as the core reason for their ultimate downfall. The conflict itself spread over a vast stretch of land, while the individual soldiers scattered in every direction, running for their lives [מנחת שי, רד״ק]. Stripped of their military advantage, the panicked men retreated individually across the region [רלב״ג, מלבי״ם, אברבנאל, ביאור שטיינזלץ, מצודת דוד].

In their desperate attempt to escape, the fleeing soldiers plunged into a nearby forest. Ultimately, the deadly environment of the woods claimed more lives than the actual weapons of David's men in direct combat [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The natural surroundings proved lethal in two distinct ways. One perspective suggests that the treacherous terrain itself was the primary danger. Running blindly through the thick woods, the soldiers stumbled over obstacles, suffered severe blows from the trees, and fell into hidden pits [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, אברבנאל, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Another tradition explains that the woods were swarming with wild animals that leaped out and devoured the fleeing men [רש״י, רלב״ג, רד״ק, אברבנאל]. These two dangers likely worked together, resulting in a devastating combination of fatal crashes against the trees and deadly animal attacks [מלבי״ם].

This deadly battleground was known as the Forest of Ephraim, which raises a geographical question, as it was located on the eastern side of the Jordan River, well outside the tribe of Ephraim's territory. A straightforward explanation is that a natural forest simply existed in that area. However, an ancient tradition offers a different origin for the name. Following an early ruling by Joshua that allowed flocks to graze in the lands of other tribes, the people of Ephraim would regularly cross the Jordan River to pasture their livestock in these specific woods, eventually leaving their name on the region [אברבנאל].