2 Kings 3:19

19 Then you must attack every fortified city and every choice city. You must cut down every good tree and stop up every spring of water. You must ruin every good piece of land with stones."

2 Kings 3:19 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 3:19

And ye shall smite every fenced city and every choice city,
&c.] That is, the inhabitants of them with the sword, and demolish them also, ( 2 Kings 3:25 ) , and shall fell every good tree; which seems contrary to the law in ( Deuteronomy 20:19 ) , but that may respect trees belonging to a city when besieged only, or only to Canaanitish cities; or the law was now dispensed with, and that for this time only, to make the punishment of Moab the greater, for their rebellion and other sins:

and stop all wells of water;
which must be very distressing to those that survived the calamity of the sword:

and mar every good piece of land with stones;
as that it could not be ploughed and sowed, nor anything spring up and grow upon it.

2 Kings 3:19 In-Context

17 For the Lord says, 'You will not see wind or rain, but the wadi will be filled with water, and you will drink-you and your cattle and your animals.'

18 This is easy in the Lord's sight. He will also hand Moab over to you.

19 Then you must attack every fortified city and every choice city. You must cut down every good tree and stop up every spring of water. You must ruin every good piece of land with stones."

20 About the time for the grain offering the [next] morning, water suddenly came from the direction of Edom and filled the land.

21 All Moab had heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. So all who could bear arms, from the youngest to the oldest, were summoned and took their stand at the border.