New International Version
2 Kings 3:25
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 3:25 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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)They destroyed the towns, covered their good land with stones, stopped up all the springs, and cut down all the good trees. Finally, only Kir-hareseth and its stone walls were left, but men with slings surrounded and attacked it.
Context of 2 Kings 3:25
23“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. 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. 26When the king of Moab saw that the battle had gone against him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom, but they failed. 27Then 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.
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 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.”
- Judges 9:45All that day Abimelek pressed his attack against the city until he had captured it and killed its people. Then he destroyed the city and scattered salt over it.
- 2 Samuel 8:2David also defeated the Moabites. He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.
- Isaiah 37:26“Have you not heard? Long ago I ordained it. In days of old I planned it; now I have brought it to pass, that you have turned fortified cities into piles of stone.
- Genesis 26:15So all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the time of his father Abraham, the Philistines stopped up, filling them with earth.
- 2 Chronicles 32:4They gathered a large group of people who blocked all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find plenty of water?” they said.
- Deuteronomy 20:19When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it to capture it, do not destroy its trees by putting an ax to them, because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down. Are the trees people, that you should besiege them?
- Deuteronomy 2:9Then the Lord said to me, “Do not harass the Moabites or provoke them to war, for I will not give you any part of their land. I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as a possession.”
- Isaiah 16:7Therefore the Moabites wail, they wail together for Moab. Lament and grieve for the raisin cakes of Kir Hareseth.
- Jeremiah 48:31Therefore I wail over Moab, for all Moab I cry out, I 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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