God’s Word Translation
2 Kings 3:19
19You will defeat every walled city and every important city. You will cut down every good tree, seal all the wells, and use rocks to ruin every good piece of land.”
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
17You will not see wind or rain, but this valley will be filled with water. You, your cattle, and your other animals will drink. 18The Lord considers that an easy thing to do. In addition, he will put Moab at your mercy. You will defeat every walled city and every important city. You will cut down every good tree, seal all the wells, and use rocks to ruin every good piece of land.” 20That is what happened in the morning. At the time of the grain offering, water flowed from Edom and filled the countryside. 21All the people of Moab heard that the kings had come to fight them. So all men old enough to bear arms were called to fight. They stood 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 window that faces east.” So the king opened it. “Shoot,” Elisha said, and the king shot. Then Elisha said, “That is the arrow of the Lord’s victory, the arrow of victory against Aram. You will completely defeat the Arameans at Aphek.”
- Numbers 24:17I see someone who is not here now. I look at someone who is not nearby. A star will come from Jacob. A scepter will rise from Israel. He will crush the heads of the Moabites and destroy all the people of Sheth.
- Judges 6:16The Lord replied, “I will be with you. You will defeat Midian as if it were ⌞only⌟ one man.”
- 1 Samuel 15:3Now go and attack Amalek. Claim everything they have for God by destroying it. Don’t spare them, but kill men and women, infants and children, cows and sheep, camels and donkeys.”
- 1 Samuel 23:2David asked the Lord, “Should I go and attack these Philistines?” “Go,” the Lord told David, “attack the Philistines, and save Keilah.”
- Deuteronomy 20:19This is what you must do whenever you blockade a city for a long time in order to capture it in war. Don’t harm any of its fruit trees with an ax. You can eat the fruit. Never cut those trees down, because the trees of the field are not people you have come to blockade.
- 2 Kings 3:25Then Israel tore down the cities, each man throwing rocks on every good field until it was covered. They sealed every well and cut down every good tree. Only the stones ⌞in the walls⌟ of Kir Hareseth were left. Soldiers surrounded Kir Hareseth and attacked it with slings and stones.
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries