Christian Standard Bible
2 Kings 3:23
23“This is blood!” they exclaimed. “The kings have crossed swords and their men have killed one another. So, to the spoil, Moab!”
2 Kings 3:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.
- New International Version (NIV)“That’s blood!” they said. “Those kings must have fought and slaughtered each other. Now to the plunder, Moab!”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And they said, "This is blood; the kings have surely fought together and struck one another down. Now then, Moab, to the spoil!"
- New King James Version (NKJV)And they said, “This is blood; the kings have surely struck swords and have killed one another; now therefore, Moab, to the spoil!”
Context of 2 Kings 3:23
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. 22When they got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water, and the Moabites saw that the water across from them was red like blood. “This is blood!” they exclaimed. “The kings have crossed swords and their men have killed one another. So, to the spoil, Moab!” 24However, when the Moabites came to Israel’s camp, the Israelites attacked them, and they fled from them. So Israel went into the land attacking the Moabites. 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.
Read all of 2 Kings 32 Kings 3:23 word by word
וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ דָּ֣ם זֶ֔ה הָחֳרֵ֤ב נֶֽחֶרְבוּ֙ הַמְּלָכִ֔ים וַיַּכּ֖וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְעַתָּ֥ה לַשָּׁלָ֖ל מוֹאָֽב׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And they saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
- the kingsמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- are surelyחָרַבchârab chârêb · to slayH2717
- and they have smittenנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- oneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- anotherרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
- now therefore, Moabמוֹאָבmô'âb · MoabH4124
- to the spoilשָׁלָלshâlâl · spoilH7998
Cross-references for 2 Kings 3:23
- 2 Kings 6:18When the Arameans came against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Please strike this nation with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, according to Elisha’s word.
- 2 Kings 7:6for the Lord had caused the Aramean camp to hear the sound of chariots, horses, and a large army. The Arameans had said to each other, “The king of Israel must have hired the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Egypt to attack us.”
- Exodus 15:9The enemy said: “I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil. My desire will be gratified at their expense. I will draw my sword; my hand will destroy them.”
- Judges 5:30“Are they not finding and dividing the spoil — a girl or two for each warrior, the spoil of colored garments for Sisera, the spoil of an embroidered garment or two for my neck?”
- 2 Chronicles 20:25Then Jehoshaphat and his people went to gather the plunder. They found among them an abundance of goods on the bodies and valuable items. So they stripped them until nobody could carry any more. They were gathering the plunder for three days because there was so much.
- Isaiah 10:14My hand has reached out, as if into a nest, to seize the wealth of the nations. Like one gathering abandoned eggs, I gathered the whole earth. No wing fluttered; no beak opened or chirped.
Commentaries on 2 Kings 3:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Therefore, Moab, to the spoil - Thus they came on in a disorderly manner, and fell an easy prey to their enemies.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23The sun had risen with a ruddy light, as is frequently the case after a storm (compare Matthew 16:3), nearly over the Israelite camp, and the pits, deep but with small mouths, gleaming redly through the haze which would lie along the newly moistened valley, seemed to the Moabites like pools of blood. The preceding year, they and their allies had mutually destroyed each other 2 Chronicles 20:23. It seemed to them, from their knowledge of the jealousies…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-27Verses 20-27 It is a blessing to be favoured with the company of those who have power with God, and can prevail by their prayers. A kingdom may be upheld and prosper, in consequence of the fervent prayers of those who are dear to God. May we place our highest regard upon such as are most precious in his account. When sinners are saying Peace, peace, destruction comes upon them: despair will follow their mad presumption. In Satan's service and at his…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-27One of Elisha's miracles took place during the war between Israel, Judah, and Moab.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-2420-24. when the meat offering was offered--that is, at the time of the morning sacrifice, accompanied, doubtless, with solemn prayers; and these led, it may be, by Elisha on this occasion, as on a similar one by Elijah (1Ki 18:36). behold, there came water by the way of Edom--Far from the Israelitish camp, in the eastern mountains of Edom, a great fall of rain, a kind of cloudburst, took place, by which the wady was at once filled, but they saw neither…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Kings 3:23
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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