2 Kings 3:23

23 dixeruntque sanguis est gladii pugnaverunt reges contra se et caesi sunt mutuo nunc perge ad praedam Moab

2 Kings 3:23 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 3:23

And they said, this is blood
They were very confident of it, having no notion of water, there having been no rain for some time; and perhaps it was not usual to see water at any time in this place:

the kings are surely slain;
they and their forces:

and they have smitten one another;
having quarrelled either about their religion, or about want of water, and the distress they were come into through it, laying the blame of their coming out to war, or of their coming that way, on one another; and the Moabites might rather think something of this kind had happened, from what had lately been done among themselves, and their allies, ( 2 Chronicles 20:23 )

now therefore, Moab, to the spoil;
having no occasion to fight, or prepare for it; all they had to do was to march directly to the enemy's camp, and plunder it.

2 Kings 3:23 In-Context

21 universi autem Moabitae audientes quod ascendissent reges ut pugnarent adversum eos convocaverunt omnes qui accincti erant balteo desuper et steterunt in terminis

22 primoque mane surgentes et orto iam sole ex adverso aquarum viderunt Moabitae contra aquas rubras quasi sanguinem

23 dixeruntque sanguis est gladii pugnaverunt reges contra se et caesi sunt mutuo nunc perge ad praedam Moab

24 perrexeruntque in castra Israhel porro consurgens Israhel percussit Moab at illi fugerunt coram eis venerunt igitur qui vicerant et percusserunt Moab

25 et civitates destruxerunt et omnem agrum optimum mittentes singuli lapides repleverunt et universos fontes aquarum obturaverunt et omnia ligna fructifera succiderunt ita ut muri tantum fictiles remanerent et circumdata est civitas a fundibalariis et magna ex parte percussa