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

17because the Lord says this: You will not see any wind or any rain. But this valley will become full of water! You, your cows and your other animals will have water to drink. 18This is an easy thing for the Lord to do. He will also put the Moabites under your power. You will destroy all their strong cities and all their important towns. You will cut down every good tree. You will stop their springs giving any water. You will cover their fields with stones so that nothing grows there.’ 20The next morning, at the time when they offered the morning sacrifice, the water appeared! It came from the direction of Edom so that the land was full of water! 21All the people in Moab had heard that the kings had come to attack them. So the leaders of Moab brought together every man who was old enough to fight. They put these men on Moab's 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 13:17Elisha said, ‘Open the window towards the east.’ When the king opened it, Elisha said, ‘Shoot the arrow!’ The king shot the arrow and Elisha said, ‘That is the Lord's arrow which shows that you will win the battle against Syria. You will completely destroy Syria's army at Aphek.’
• Numbers 24:17I see a king who will come from among the Israelites. He will not come now, but at a future time. He will appear as king, like a bright star. He will knock down the leaders of Moab. He will destroy the descendants of Sheth.
• Judges 6:16The Lord answered him, ‘Understand that I will be with you! You will destroy the Midianites as if they were only one man.’
• 1 Samuel 15:3Now go and attack the Amalekites. Completely destroy everything that they have. Do not save anything. Kill the men and women, as well as their children and babies. Kill their cows, sheep, camels and donkeys.” ’
• 1 Samuel 23:2So David asked the Lord, ‘Should I go and attack those Philistines?’ The Lord answered him, ‘Go and attack the Philistines. Save Keilah town.’
• Deuteronomy 20:19Perhaps you are preparing to attack a city. Your soldiers may have their camp around the city for a long time. If so, you must not cut down the fruit trees. Then you can eat the fruit from them. These trees are not people, like your enemies! So do not attack them!
• 2 Kings 3:25They destroyed the Moabites' towns. Each Israelite soldier threw a stone onto all the good fields, until they covered them with stones. They filled the springs so that they gave no water. They cut down all the good trees. Only the city of Kir-Hareseth was still there with its stone walls. But the Israelite soldiers stood all around the city. They attacked it with stones from their slings.

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