God’s Word Translation
2 Kings 3:25
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.
2 Kings 3:25 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees: only in Kir–haraseth left they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it.
- New International Version (NIV)They destroyed the towns, and each man threw a stone on every good field until it was covered. They stopped up all the springs and cut down every good tree. Only Kir Hareseth was left with its stones in place, but men armed with slings surrounded it and attacked it.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And they overthrew the cities, and on every good piece of land every man threw a stone until it was covered. They stopped every spring of water and felled all the good trees, till only its stones were left in Kir-hareseth, and the slingers surrounded and attacked it.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then they destroyed the cities, and each man threw a stone on every good piece of land and filled it; and they stopped up all the springs of water and cut down all the good trees. But they left the stones of Kir Haraseth intact. However the slingers surrounded and attacked it.
Context of 2 Kings 3:25
23They said, “It’s blood! The kings have been fighting one another and have killed each other. Now, Moabites, let’s take their goods!” 24So when the Moabites came to Israel’s camp, the Israelites attacked them, and they fled from the Israelites. Israel went after the Moabites and defeated them. Then 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. 26When the king of Moab saw he was losing the battle, he took 700 swordsmen to try to break through to the king of Edom. But they couldn’t do it. 27Then he took his firstborn son, who would have succeeded him as king, and sacrificed him on the wall as a burnt offering. There was bitter anger against the Israelites. So they went home to their own country.
Read all of 2 Kings 32 Kings 3:25 word by word
וְהֶעָרִ֣ים יַהֲרֹ֡סוּ וְכָל־חֶלְקָ֣ה ט֠וֹבָה יַשְׁלִ֨יכוּ אִישׁ־אַבְנ֜וֹ וּמִלְא֗וּהָ וְכָל־מַעְיַן־מַ֤יִם יִסְתֹּ֙מוּ֙ וְכָל־עֵֽץ־ט֣וֹב יַפִּ֔ילוּ עַד־הִשְׁאִ֧יר אֲבָנֶ֛יהָ בַּקִּ֖יר חֲרָ֑שֶׂת וַיָּסֹ֥בּוּ הַקַּלָּעִ֖ים וַיַּכּֽוּהָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And they beat downהָרַסhâras · to overthrowH2040
- the citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- and on every goodטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- pieceחֶלְקָהchelqâh · portionH2513
- of land castשָׁלַךְshâlak · to throwH7993
- every manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- his stoneאֶ֫בֶן'eben · stoneH68
- and filledמָלֵאmâlê' mâlâ' · to fillH4390
- it; and they stoppedסָתַםsâtham ώâtham · to closeH5640
- all the wellsמַעְיָןma‛yân ma‛yenô ma‛yânâh · springH4599
- of waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
- and felledנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fell(trees)H5307
- treesעֵץ‛êts · treeH6086
- only in Kir–harasethקִיר חֶרֶשׂqîyr chereώ qîyr chăreώeth · Kir-haresethH7025
- leftשָׁאַרshâ'ar · to remainH7604
- thereof; howbeit the slingersקַלָּעqallâ‛ · slingerH7051
- went aboutסָבַבsâbab · to turn: surroundH5437
- and smoteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
Cross-references for 2 Kings 3:25
- 2 Kings 3:19You 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.”
- Judges 9:45Abimelech attacked the city all day long. He captured the city and killed the people in it. He also tore down the city and scattered salt all over the land.
- 2 Samuel 8:2He also defeated Moab, made the Moabites lie down on the ground, and measured them with a rope. He measured two lengths which were to be killed, and one length which was to be spared. So the Moabites became David’s subjects and paid taxes ⌞to him⌟.
- Isaiah 37:26“ ‘Haven’t you heard? I did this long ago. I planned it in the distant past. Now I make it happen so that you will turn fortified cities into piles of rubble.
- Genesis 26:15So the Philistines filled in all the wells that his father’s servants had dug during his father Abraham’s lifetime.
- 2 Chronicles 32:4A large crowd gathered as they stopped all the springs and the brook that flowed through the land. They said, “Why should the kings of Assyria find plenty of water?”
- 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.
- Deuteronomy 2:9The Lord said to me, “Don’t bother the people of Moab or start a war with them. I’m not giving you any of Ar as your property. I have given it to the descendants of Lot.”
- Isaiah 16:7That is why Moab will wail. Everyone will wail for Moab. Mourn and grieve over the raisin cakes of Kir Hareseth.
- Jeremiah 48:31That is why I will weep for Moab and cry for all of Moab. I will moan for the people of Kir Hareseth.
Commentaries on 2 Kings 3:25
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 25On every good piece of land - On all cultivated ground, and especially fields that were sown. Only in Kir-haraseth - This was the royal city of the Moabites, and, as we learn from Scripture, exceedingly strong; (see Isaiah 16:7, Isaiah 16:11;); so that it is probable the confederate armies could not easily reduce it. The slingers, we are informed, went about the wall, and smote all the men that appeared on it, while no doubt the besieging army was…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 25Kir-Haraseth, also Kir-Hareseth, is identified almost certainly with the modern Kerak, a strong city on the highland immediately east of the southern part of the Dead Sea. It was the great fortress of Moab, though not the capital, which was Rabbath or Rabbah. It was an important strong-hold at the time of the Crusades, and is still a place of great strength. Kir seems to have meant “fortress.” It is found in Cir-cesium, Car-chemish, etc. Kir-Haraseth…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. 24-25The army of Israel destroyed the towns. Elisha's prophecy came true, but Kir-hareseth was not completely destroyed.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2525. Kir-haraseth--(now Kerak)--Castle of Moab--then, probably, the only fortress in the land.Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Kings 3:25
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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