2 Kings 3:27

2 Kings 3:27 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.
• New International Version (NIV)Then he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him as king, and offered him as a sacrifice on the city wall. The fury against Israel was great; they withdrew and returned to their own land.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then he took his oldest son who was to reign in his place and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall. And there came great wrath against Israel. And they withdrew from him and returned to their own land.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then he took his eldest son who would have reigned in his place, and offered him as a burnt offering upon the wall; and there was great indignation against Israel. So they departed from him and returned to their own land.

Context of 2 Kings 3:27

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. 26The king of Moab realized that he was not winning the battle. So he took 700 of his soldiers who had swords. They tried to attack their enemies and reach the king of Edom. But they failed to do that. So the king of Moab took his oldest son who would have become king after him. He killed him on the wall of the city as a burnt offering to their god. This made the Israelite soldiers become very upset. So they went away from the city and they returned to their own land.

2 Kings 3:27 word by word

וַיִּקַּח֩ אֶת־בְּנ֨וֹ הַבְּכ֜וֹר אֲשֶׁר־יִמְלֹ֣ךְ תַּחְתָּ֗יו וַיַּעֲלֵ֤הוּ עֹלָה֙ עַל־הַ֣חֹמָ֔ה וַיְהִ֥י קֶצֶף־גָּד֖וֹל עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּסְעוּ֙ מֵֽעָלָ֔יו וַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּ לָאָֽרֶץ׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then he tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• his eldestבְּכוֹרbekôr · firstbornH1060
• sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• that should have reignedמָלַךְmâlak · to reignH4427
• in his stead, and offeredעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: offer upH5927
• a burnt offeringעֹלָה‛ôlâh ‛ôlâh · burnt offeringH5930
• upon the wallחוֹמָהchômâh · wallH2346
• And there was greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• indignationקֶ֫צֶףqetseph · wrathH7110
• against Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• and they departedנָסַעnâsa‛ · to set outH5265
• from him, and returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776

Cross-references for 2 Kings 3:27

• Genesis 22:2God said, ‘Take your son and go to the land of Moriah. Take your only son Isaac, whom you love. You must offer him to me there as a burnt offering. I will show you the mountain where you must do this.’
• Deuteronomy 12:31No! You must not worship the Lord your God in the same way that those people worship their gods. When they worship, they do wicked things that the Lord hates. They even burn their children with fire, to make sacrifices to their gods.
• Judges 11:31Then, when I return home safely, I will give you a burnt offering. Whatever is first to come out through the door of my house as I arrive, I will offer it to you as a sacrifice.’
• Psalms 106:36They worshipped their idols which caught them in a trap.
• Ezekiel 16:20You also offered your sons and your daughters as sacrifices to those idols. They were my children too! But you offered them as food to your idols. Like a prostitute, you were not faithful to me.
• Micah 6:7He might be happy with thousands of male sheep, or ten thousand rivers of olive oil. I have not obeyed God. I might even kill and burn my oldest son, because of that. I have done wrong things and I must pay God for that. Perhaps, if I give my own child to him, that will be enough to pay.’
• 1 Samuel 14:36Then Saul said, ‘We will go tonight and we will attack the Philistines again. We will chase them all night until dawn. We will kill all of them.’ The men answered, ‘Do whatever you think is right.’ But the priest said, ‘We should ask God first.’
• 1 Kings 20:13Then a prophet came to Ahab, the king of Israel. He said, ‘The Lord says this to you: “Look at Ben-Hadad's great army! Today I will put them under your power. Then you will know that I am the Lord.” ’

Commentaries on 2 Kings 3:27

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 27Took his eldest son - The rabbins account for this horrible sacrifice in the following way: - When the king of Moab found himself so harassed, and the royal city on the point of being taken, he called a council of his servants, and asked them how it was these Israelites could perform such prodigies, and that such miracles were wrought for them? His servants answered, that it was owing to their progenitor Abraham, who, having an only son, was commanded by…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 27Compare the marginal reference. Mesha, when his sally failed, took, as a last resource, his first born son, and offered him as a burnt-offering to appease the manifest anger of his god Chemosh, and obtain his aid against his enemies. This act was thoroughly in accordance with Moabitish notions. And there was great indignation against Israel - Either the Israelites were indignant with themselves, or the men of Judah and the Edomites were indignant at the…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. 27there was great fury against the Israelites: The Hebrew phrase translated as intense anger is also used to describe the Lord’s fury against Israel for breaking their covenant (Jeremiah 21:5; 32:37; Zechariah 7:12).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2727. took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering, &c.--By this deed of horror, to which the allied army drove the king of Moab, a divine judgment came upon Israel; that is, the besiegers feared the anger of God, which they had incurred by giving occasion to the human sacrifice forbidden in the law (Le 18:21; 20:3), and hastily raised the siege.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 3:27

• Blindness
• Idolatry
• Moabites
• Offerings

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Burnt offering
• Colour
• Compass
• Indignation
• Jehoshaphat
• Kirharaseth
• Mesha

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