Dryads, Ents, and Sylvans in Scripture?
Classical mythology has long spoken of living, sentient tree spirits: Dryads, Hamadryads, and Sylvans. C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkein pick up on this theme in Narnia and LOTR. Is there any Scriptural basis for these notions? I would argue yes.
The rebellion of Absalom in 2 Sam. 18:7-9 gives a few indications of this:
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. The battle spread over the face of all the country, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword. And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak, and his head caught fast in the oak, and he was suspended between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on.
From here, Joab kills Absalom in defiance of David's orders (I would argue rightly). David mourns Absalom's death until Joab talks sense into him (ch. 19). This would indicate the trees were on the right side, though perhaps not unanimously.
