2 Kings 3:19

19 and you shall defeat every fortified city, every choice city, and you shall fell every good tree. All of the springs of water you shall stop up, and every tract of good land you shall ruin with the 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 thus says Yahweh, 'You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this wadi will be full of water; and you and all of your livestock and your animals shall drink.'

18 And since this is too trivial in the eyes of Yahweh, he will also give Moab into your hand,

19 and you shall defeat every fortified city, every choice city, and you shall fell every good tree. All of the springs of water you shall stop up, and every tract of good land you shall ruin with the stones."

20 It happened in the morning about the time of the [morning] offering, that water was suddenly coming from the direction of Edom and the land was filled with water.

21 Now all of Moab had heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, and all {who were fighting age and up} were called up, and they stood at the border.