New Living Translation
2 Kings 3:19
19You will conquer the best of their towns, even the fortified ones. You will cut down all their good trees, stop up all their springs, and ruin all their good land with stones.”
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 see neither wind nor rain, says the Lord, but this valley will be filled with water. You will have plenty for yourselves and your cattle and other animals. 18But this is only a simple thing for the Lord, for he will make you victorious over the army of Moab! You will conquer the best of their towns, even the fortified ones. You will cut down all their good trees, stop up all their springs, and ruin all their good land with stones.” 20The next day at about the time when the morning sacrifice was offered, water suddenly appeared! It was flowing from the direction of Edom, and soon there was water everywhere. 21Meanwhile, when the people of Moab heard about the three armies marching against them, they mobilized every man who was old enough to strap on a sword, and they stationed themselves along their 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 13:17Then he commanded, “Open that eastern window,” and he opened it. Then he said, “Shoot!” So he shot an arrow. Elisha proclaimed, “This is the Lord’s arrow, an arrow of victory over Aram, for you will completely conquer the Arameans at Aphek.”
- Numbers 24:17I see him, but not here and now. I perceive him, but far in the distant future. A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel. It will crush the heads of Moab’s people, cracking the skulls of the people of Sheth.
- Judges 6:16The Lord said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.”
- 1 Samuel 15:3Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys.”
- 1 Samuel 23:2David asked the Lord, “Should I go and attack them?” “Yes, go and save Keilah,” the Lord told him.
- Deuteronomy 20:19“When you are attacking a town and the war drags on, you must not cut down the trees with your axes. You may eat the fruit, but do not cut down the trees. Are the trees your enemies, that you should attack them?
- 2 Kings 3:25They 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.
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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries