2 Kings 3:14

2 Kings 3:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Elisha said, As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.
• New International Version (NIV)Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, if I did not have respect for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not pay any attention to you.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Elisha said, "As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not that I have regard for Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would neither look at you nor see you.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And Elisha said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you, nor see you.

Context of 2 Kings 3:14

12Jehoshaphat said, ‘He will tell us what the Lord is saying.’ So the king of Israel, King Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went to meet Elisha. 13Elisha said to the king of Israel, ‘We have nothing to say to each other! Instead, go to the prophets that your father and your mother liked to listen to.’ The king of Israel replied, ‘No! The Lord told us three kings to come here together. Now he is putting us under Moab's power.’ Elisha said to him, ‘I serve the Lord Almighty. I promise you, as surely as the Lord lives, I would never even look at you! But I do respect Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, who is with you. So I will help you. 15But now, bring someone to play music on a harp for me.’ While the man was making music, the Lord's power came to Elisha. 16Elisha said, ‘This is what the Lord says: Dig many holes in this dry valley,

2 Kings 3:14 word by word

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלִישָׁ֗ע חַי־יְהוָ֤ה צְבָאוֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָמַ֣דְתִּי לְפָנָ֔יו כִּ֗י לוּלֵ֛י פְּנֵ֛י יְהוֹשָׁפָ֥ט מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֖ה אֲנִ֣י נֹשֵׂ֑א אִם־אַבִּ֥יט אֵלֶ֖יךָ וְאִם־אֶרְאֶֽךָּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Elishaאֱלִישָׁע'ĕlîyshâ‛ · ElishaH477
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• of hostsצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635
• livethחַיchay · aliveH2416
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• whom I standעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• surely, were it not thatלוּלֵאlûlê' lûlêy · unlessH3884
• I regardנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: kindnessH5375
• the presenceפָּנֶהpânîym · face ofH6440
• of Jehoshaphatיְהוֹשָׁפָטyehôshâphâţ · JehoshaphatH3092
• the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• of Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
• I would not lookנָבַטnâbaţ · to lookH5027
• toward thee, nor seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200

Cross-references for 2 Kings 3:14

• 2 Kings 5:16But Elisha replied, ‘I serve the Lord. I promise you, as surely as he lives, I will not accept a gift from you.’ Naaman asked him many times to accept a gift but Elisha refused.
• 1 Kings 17:1There was a prophet called Elijah who came from Tishbe in Gilead. He said to King Ahab, ‘I am a servant of the Lord, Israel's God. As surely as God lives, there will be no rain or dew for the next few years. Nothing will make the ground wet until I command it to happen.’
• 1 Kings 18:15Elijah said, ‘I serve the Lord Almighty. As surely as he lives, I promise that I will meet with King Ahab today.’
• 2 Chronicles 17:3Jehoshaphat obeyed the Lord as his ancestor David had done when he first ruled as king. So the Lord was with him to help him. Jehoshaphat did not worship the idols of Baal.
• 2 Chronicles 19:3But you have done some good things. You have removed the Asherah poles from Judah's land. You have chosen to serve God.’
• Psalms 15:4He does not respect wicked people, but he does respect people who serve the Lord. When he promises to do something, he always does it.
• 1 Samuel 15:26But Samuel said to Saul, ‘I will not return with you. You refused to obey the Lord's command. So now the Lord has decided that you will no longer be king of Israel.’
• 1 Kings 14:5But the Lord had said to Ahijah, ‘Jeroboam's wife will come to visit you. Her son is ill and she will ask you what will happen to him. I will tell you what to say to her. When she comes, she will pretend that she is not the king's wife.’
• 1 Kings 21:20When Elijah met Ahab, Ahab said to him, ‘So, my enemy, now you have found me!’ Elijah answered, ‘Yes, I have found you to warn you! You have decided to do things that the Lord says are evil.
• Jeremiah 1:18I, the Lord, promise that I will make you as strong as a city with strong walls around it. You will be as strong as an iron pillar, or a wall that is made of bronze. You will speak a message against the whole nation of Judah. You will speak against its kings, its officers, its priests and all its people.
• Daniel 5:17Then Daniel answered the king, ‘You can keep your gifts for yourself. You can make someone else important. But I will read the words for the king, and I will tell him what they mean.
• Matthew 22:16So the Pharisees sent their own disciples to Jesus. They also sent people who were friends of King Herod. They said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, we know that you only say true things. You teach us what God wants us to do. It does not matter to you what other people think. If someone is important, you do not change your answers to make them happy.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 3:14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14Were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat - He worshipped the true God; Jehoram was an idolater.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. 13-14Elisha joined because Jehoshaphat was there, even though he was involved with the pagan Joram.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1413-14. What have I to do with thee? &c.--Wishing to produce a deep spirit of humility and contrition, Elisha gave a stern repulse to the king of Israel, accompanied by a sarcastic sneer, in bidding him go and consult Baal and his soothsayers. But the distressed condition, especially the imploring language, of the royal suppliants, who acknowledged the hand of the Lord in this distress, drew from the prophet the solemn assurance, that solely out of respect…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 3:14

• Armies
• Moabites
• Reproof

In the dictionaries

• Elisha
• Jehoshaphat
• Judah
• Judah, kingdom of Judah
• Judea, Judah
• Lord of Hosts
• Colour
• Compass
• Indignation
• Jehoram

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