Christian Standard Bible
2 Kings 3:19
19Then you will attack every fortified city and every choice city. You will cut down every good tree and stop up every spring. You will ruin every good piece of land with stones.”
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 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.’ 18This is easy in the Lord’s sight. He will also hand Moab over to you. Then you will attack every fortified city and every choice city. You will cut down every good tree and stop up every spring. You will ruin every good piece of land with stones.” 20About the time for the grain offering the next morning, water suddenly came from the direction of Edom and filled the land. 21All 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.
Read all of 2 Kings 32 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 13:17Elisha said, “Open the east window.” So he opened it. Elisha said, “Shoot!” So he shot. Then Elisha said, “The Lord’s arrow of victory, yes, the arrow of victory over Aram. You are to strike down the Arameans in Aphek until you have put an end to them.”
- Numbers 24:17I see him, but not now; I perceive him, but not near. A star will come from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel. He will smash the forehead of Moab and strike down all the Shethites.
- Judges 6:16“But I will be with you,” the Lord said to him. “You will strike Midian down as if it were one man.”
- 1 Samuel 15:3Now go and attack the Amalekites and completely destroy everything they have. Do not spare them. Kill men and women, infants and nursing babies, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”
- 1 Samuel 23:2So David inquired of the Lord: “Should I launch an attack against these Philistines?” The Lord answered David, “Launch an attack against the Philistines and rescue Keilah.”
- Deuteronomy 20:19“When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it in order to capture it, do not destroy its trees by putting an ax to them, because you can get food from them. Do not cut them down. Are trees of the field human, to come under siege by you?
- 2 Kings 3:25They would destroy the cities, and each of them would throw a stone to cover every good piece of land. They would stop up every spring and cut down every good tree. This went on until only the buildings of Kir-hareseth were left. Then men with slings surrounded the city and attacked 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
In the dictionaries
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
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