2 Kings 3:19

2 Kings 3:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.
• New International Version (NIV)You will overthrow every fortified city and every major town. You will cut down every good tree, stop up all the springs, and ruin every good field with stones.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)and you shall attack every fortified city and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree and stop up all springs of water and ruin every good piece of land with stones."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Also you shall attack every fortified city and every choice city, and shall cut down every good tree, and stop up every spring of water, and ruin every good piece of land with stones.”

Context of 2 Kings 3:19

17For thus says the Lord, ‘You will not see wind or rain, yet that valley will be filled with water, so you and your cattle and your other animals may drink. 18This is but a simple thing in the sight of the Lord; He will also hand over the Moabites to you. You shall strike every fortified city and every choice (principal) city, and cut down every good tree and stop up all sources of water, and ruin every good piece of land with stones.’ ” 20It happened in the morning, when the sacrifice was offered, that suddenly water came [miraculously] from the area of Edom, and the country was filled with water. 21Now all the Moabites heard that the [three] kings had come up to fight against them, and all who were able to put on armor, as well as those who were older, were summoned and stood [together in battle formation] at the border.

2 Kings 3:19 word by word

וְהִכִּיתֶ֞ם כָּל־עִ֤יר מִבְצָר֙ וְכָל־עִ֣יר מִבְח֔וֹר וְכָל־עֵ֥ץ טוֹב֙ תַּפִּ֔ילוּ וְכָל־מַעְיְנֵי־מַ֖יִם תִּסְתֹּ֑מוּ וְכֹל֙ הַחֶלְקָ֣ה הַטּוֹבָ֔ה תַּכְאִ֖בוּ בָּאֲבָנִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And ye shall smiteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• every fencedמִבְצָרmibtsâr mibtsârâh · fortificationH4013
• cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• and every choiceמִבְחוֹרmibchôr · choiceH4004
• and shall fellנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fell(trees)H5307
• every goodטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
• treeעֵץ‛êts · treeH6086
• and stopסָתַםsâtham ώâtham · to closeH5640
• all wellsמַעְיָןma‛yân ma‛yenô ma‛yânâh · springH4599
• of waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
• and marכָּאַבkâ'ab · to painH3510
• pieceחֶלְקָהchelqâh · portionH2513
• of land with stonesאֶ֫בֶן'eben · stoneH68

Cross-references for 2 Kings 3:19

• 2 Kings 13:17And he said, “Open the window to the east,” and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot!” And he shot. And Elisha said, “The Lord’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram (Syria); for you will strike the Arameans in Aphek until you have destroyed them.”
• Numbers 24:17I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near. A star shall come forth from [the descendants of] Jacob, A scepter shall rise out of [the descendants of] Israel And shall crush the forehead of Moab And destroy all the sons of Sheth.
• Judges 6:16The Lord answered him, “I will certainly be with you, and you will strike down the Midianites as [if they were only] one man.”
• 1 Samuel 15:3Now go and strike Amalek and completely destroy everything that they have; do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ”
• 1 Samuel 23:2So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”
• Deuteronomy 20:19“When you besiege a city for a long time, making war against it in order to capture it, you shall not destroy its [fruit-bearing] trees by swinging an axe against them; for you may eat from them, and you shall not cut them down. For is the tree of the field a man, that it should be besieged (destroyed) by you?
• 2 Kings 3:25They destroyed the [walls of the] cities, and each man threw a stone on every piece of good land, covering it [with stones]. And they stopped up all the springs of water and cut down all the good trees, until they left nothing in Kir-hareseth [Moab’s capital city] but its stones. Then the [stone] slingers surrounded the city and destroyed it.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 3:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19Shall fell every good tree - Every tree by which your enemies may serve themselves for fortifications, etc. But surely fruit trees are not intended here; for this was positively against the law of God, Deuteronomy 20:19, Deuteronomy 20:20; : "When thou shalt besiege a city - thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof - for the tree of the field is man's life - only the trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and cut them…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19Ye shall fell every good tree - This is not an infringement of the rule laid down in Deuteronomy 20:19-20. The Israelites were not forbidden to fell the fruit trees in an enemy‘s country, as a part of the ravage of war, when they had no thoughts of occupying the country. The plan of thus injuring an enemy was probably in general use among the nations of these parts at the time. We see the destruction represented frequently on the Assyrian monuments and…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-19Verses 6-19 The king of Israel laments their distress, and the danger they were in. He called these kings together, yet he charges it upon Providence. Thus the foolishness of man perverteth his way, and then his heart fretteth against the Lord, Pr 19:3. It was well that Jehoshaphat inquired of the Lord now, but it had been much better if he had done it before he engaged in this war. Good men sometimes neglect their duty, till necessity and affliction…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-20The supply of water was easy for the Lord. It signaled that God would help the allies defeat Moab's army.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 3:19

• Armies
• Moabites
• Stones
• Water

In the dictionaries

• Colour
• Compass
• Elisha
• Indignation
• Jehoram
• Jehoshaphat
• Moabite Stone
• Regard
• Stone
• Stop

Commentaries on 2 Kings 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings