2 Kings 3:13-23

13 And Elisha said to the king of Israel, What is to me and to thee, an idolater? Go thou to the prophets of thy father and of thy mother. And the king of Israel said to him, Why hath the Lord gathered together these three kings, to betake them into the hands of Moab? (But the king of Israel said to him, Nay! for the Lord hath gathered these three kings together, to deliver them into the hands of the Moabites.)
14 And Elisha said to him, The Lord of hosts liveth, in whose sight I stand, if I were not ashamed of the cheer of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, truly I had not perceived, neither I had beheld thee. (And Elisha said to him, As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, if I did not have such great respect for Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, truly I would not have bothered to look upon thee, nor receive thee into my presence.)
15 Now forsooth bring ye to me a psalterer (But now bring ye to me a singer of psalms, or of songs). And when the psalterer sang, the hand of the Lord was made upon Elisha,
16 and he said, The Lord saith these things, Make ye the womb, either the depth, of this strand, ditches and ditches. (and he said, The Lord saith these things, Make ye the trough of this dry stream, or this dry river-bed, into ditches and ditches.)
17 For the Lord saith these things, Ye shall not see wind, neither rain, and this depth shall be filled with waters, and ye shall drink, and your families, and your beasts. (For the Lord saith these things, Though ye shall not see wind, or rain, yet this depth shall be filled with water, so that ye, and your families, and your beasts, shall have water to drink.)
18 And this is (but a) little thing in the sight of the Lord. Furthermore also he shall betake Moab into your hands (And furthermore he shall deliver the Moabites into your hands);
19 and ye shall smite each strengthened city, and each chosen city, and ye shall cut down each tree bearing fruit, and ye shall stop all the wells of waters, and ye shall cover with stones each noble field. (and ye shall strike down each fortified city, and each chosen city, and ye shall cut down each fruit-bearing tree, and ye shall stop, or close up, all the water wells, or all the springs, and ye shall cover each fertile field with stones.)
20 Therefore it was done early, when (the) sacrifice is wont to be offered, and, lo! waters came by the way of Edom, and the land was filled with waters.
21 Soothly all the men of Moab heard, that these kings had gone up to fight against them; and they called together all men, that were gird with a knight's girdle above, and they stood in the terms. (And all the Moabites heard, that these kings had gone up to fight against them; and they called together all the men who were girded with a horseman's girdle, and who were stationed at the border.)
22 And men of Moab rose full early, and when the sun was risen then even against the waters, they saw the waters (as) red as blood even against them. (And the men of Moab rose up very early, and when the sun rose up over the water, they saw that the water before them was as red as blood/was red like blood.)
23 And they said, It is the blood of (the) sword, that is, shed out by (the) sword; [the] kings have fought against themselves, and they be slain together (and they have killed one another); now go thou, Moab, to the prey.

2 Kings 3:13-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 3

This chapter gives the character of Jehoram king of Israel, 2Ki 3:1-3, relates the rebellion of the king of Moab against him, 2Ki 3:4,5, the war that he and his allies entered into on that account, 2Ki 3:6-9 the distress the combined army were in for want of water, their application upon this to Elisha, who promised them water, and they had it in a wonderful manner, 2Ki 3:10-20 and the chapter is concluded with the rout of the Moabites, and the barbarity of their king to his eldest son, 2Ki 3:21-27.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.