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

25So they destroyed the cities; and each one threw a stone on every plot of good land and filled it. So they stopped up every spring of water and cut down every good tree, until in Kir-hareseth only they left its stones; however, the rock slingers surrounded it and struck it. 26When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not. Then the king of Moab took his oldest son who was to reign in his place, and offered him as a burnt offering on the wall. And great anger came upon Israel, and they departed from him and 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

• tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• his oldestבְּכוֹרbekôr · firstbornH1060
• sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• whoאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• was to reignמָלַךְmâlak · to reignH4427
• inתַּחַתtachath · underneath: insteadH8478
• his placeתַּחַתtachath · underneath: insteadH8478
• offeredעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: offer upH5927
• him as a burntעֹלָה‛ôlâh ‛ôlâh · burnt offeringH5930
• offeringעֹלָה‛ôlâh ‛ôlâh · burnt offeringH5930
• on the wallחוֹמָהchômâh · wallH2346
• And greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• angerקֶ֫צֶףqetseph · wrathH7110
• cameהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• uponעַל‛al · uponH5921
• Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• and they departedנָסַעnâsa‛ · to set outH5265
• from him and returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• to their own landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776

Cross-references for 2 Kings 3:27

• Genesis 22:2Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.”
• Deuteronomy 12:31You shall not behave this way toward the Lord your God, because every abominable act which the Lord hates, they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire for their gods.
• Judges 11:31then whatever comes out the doors of my house to meet me when I return safely from the sons of Ammon, it shall be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”
• Psalms 106:36And served their idols, Which became a snare to them.
• Ezekiel 16:20“Furthermore, you took your sons and daughters whom you had borne to Me and sacrificed them to idols to be devoured. Were your obscene practices a trivial matter?
• Micah 6:7Does the Lord take pleasure in thousands of rams, In ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give Him my firstborn for my wrongdoings, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
• 1 Samuel 14:36Then Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines by night and take plunder among them until the morning light, and let’s not leave a man among them alive.” And they said, “Do whatever seems good to you.” So the priest said, “Let’s approach God here.”
• 1 Kings 20:13Now behold, a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel, and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I am going to hand them over to you today, and you shall 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
• Burnt offering
• Colour
• Compass
• Indignation
• Jehoshaphat
• Kirharaseth
• Mesha
• Moabite Stone
• Regard

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