2 Kings 3:23

2 Kings 3:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And they said, "This is blood; the kings have surely fought together and struck one another down. Now then, Moab, to the spoil!"
• New King James Version (NKJV)And they said, “This is blood; the kings have surely struck swords and have killed one another; now therefore, Moab, to the spoil!”
• New Living Translation (NLT)“It’s blood!” the Moabites exclaimed. “The three armies must have attacked and killed each other! Let’s go, men of Moab, and collect the plunder!”

Context of 2 Kings 3:23

21Now all the Moabites had heard that the kings had come to fight against them; so every man, young and old, who could bear arms was called up and stationed on the border. 22When they got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water. To the Moabites across the way, the water looked red—like blood. “That’s blood!” they said. “Those kings must have fought and slaughtered each other. Now to the plunder, Moab!” 24But when the Moabites came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and fought them until they fled. And the Israelites invaded the land and slaughtered the Moabites. 25They 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.

2 Kings 3:23 word by word

וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ דָּ֣ם זֶ֔ה הָחֳרֵ֤ב נֶֽחֶרְבוּ֙ הַמְּלָכִ֔ים וַיַּכּ֖וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְעַתָּ֥ה לַשָּׁלָ֖ל מוֹאָֽב׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And they saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
• the kingsמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• are surelyחָרַבchârab chârêb · to slayH2717
• and they have smittenנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• oneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• anotherרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
• now therefore, Moabמוֹאָבmô'âb · MoabH4124
• to the spoilשָׁלָלshâlâl · spoilH7998

Cross-references for 2 Kings 3:23

• 2 Kings 6:18As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike this army with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.
• 2 Kings 7:6for the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army, so that they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!”
• Exodus 15:9The enemy boasted, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake them. I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them. I will draw my sword and my hand will destroy them.’
• Judges 5:30‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoils: a woman or two for each man, colorful garments as plunder for Sisera, colorful garments embroidered, highly embroidered garments for my neck— all this as plunder?’
• 2 Chronicles 20:25So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it.
• Isaiah 10:14As one reaches into a nest, so my hand reached for the wealth of the nations; as people gather abandoned eggs, so I gathered all the countries; not one flapped a wing, or opened its mouth to chirp.’ ”

Commentaries on 2 Kings 3:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Therefore, Moab, to the spoil - Thus they came on in a disorderly manner, and fell an easy prey to their enemies.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23The sun had risen with a ruddy light, as is frequently the case after a storm (compare Matthew 16:3), nearly over the Israelite camp, and the pits, deep but with small mouths, gleaming redly through the haze which would lie along the newly moistened valley, seemed to the Moabites like pools of blood. The preceding year, they and their allies had mutually destroyed each other 2 Chronicles 20:23. It seemed to them, from their knowledge of the jealousies…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. 4-27One of Elisha's miracles took place during the war between Israel, Judah, and Moab.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-2420-24. when the meat offering was offered--that is, at the time of the morning sacrifice, accompanied, doubtless, with solemn prayers; and these led, it may be, by Elisha on this occasion, as on a similar one by Elijah (1Ki 18:36). behold, there came water by the way of Edom--Far from the Israelitish camp, in the eastern mountains of Edom, a great fall of rain, a kind of cloudburst, took place, by which the wady was at once filled, but they saw neither…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 3:23

• Moabites

In the dictionaries

• Moab
• Colour
• Compass
• Indignation
• Jehoshaphat
• Kirharaseth
• Moabite Stone
• Regard
• Stop
• Zoar

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