2 Kings 3 23

2 Kings 3:23 kjv

And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.

2 Kings 3:23 nkjv

And they said, "This is blood; the kings have surely struck swords and have killed one another; now therefore, Moab, to the spoil!"

2 Kings 3:23 niv

"That's blood!" they said. "Those kings must have fought and slaughtered each other. Now to the plunder, Moab!"

2 Kings 3:23 esv

And they said, "This is blood; the kings have surely fought together and struck one another down. Now then, Moab, to the spoil!"

2 Kings 3:23 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!"

2 Kings 3 verses

2 Kings 3 23 Meaning

This verse captures the Moabites' fatal misinterpretation of a divinely orchestrated optical illusion. As the sun rises, its light reflecting off the water-filled trenches (previously dug by command of Elisha) in the red, clay-rich soil of the desert causes the water to appear as blood. The Moabites conclude that the allied kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom have turned upon each other, resulting in a self-inflicted slaughter. This mistaken belief spurs them to eagerly rush towards the seemingly abandoned camp to plunder.

2 Kings 3 23 Context

This verse occurs during a military campaign where Jehoram, king of Israel, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and the king of Edom unite to suppress the rebellious Moabites. The allied forces embark on a difficult march through the desert of Edom, enduring a severe water shortage that threatens the entire army and their livestock. Faced with impending disaster, King Jehoram seeks counsel from the prophet Elisha, urged by Jehoshaphat. Though initially reluctant due to Jehoram's idolatry, Elisha prophesies that the Lord will provide water miraculously and grant a decisive victory over Moab. He instructs them to dig trenches throughout the valley, assuring them that water will come without wind or rain. The following morning, as Elisha foretold, water miraculously arrives from Edom, filling the trenches. Verse 23 details the Moabites' perspective when they see this water and how their fatal misjudgment, fueled by their own pride and desire for plunder, leads them directly into the alliance's prepared trap.

2 Kings 3 23 Word analysis

• And he said (וַיֹּאמֶר - vayyomer): Though singular ("he said"), this likely represents the collective declaration or a consensus among the Moabite commanders or lookouts, who share this fatal misinterpretation.
• This (זֶה - zeh): Points to the immediate visual phenomenon—the red appearance on the land.
• is nothing but blood (דָּם הוּא - dam hu'): "Blood it is." The phrase is emphatic, asserting a definitive conclusion. They literally believe they are seeing vast amounts of blood. This is the crucial point of their deception.
• the kings (הַמְּלָכִים - hammelekhim): Refers specifically to Jehoram, Jehoshaphat, and the Edomite king. The Moabites assume these leaders, and by extension their armies, are defeated.
• are surely slain (הָכֵּה הִכּוּ - hakke hikkú): An intensifier in Hebrew, literally "smiting they have smitten" or "striking, they have struck." This indicates a complete and utter slaughter. It reflects the Moabites' conviction of a total massacre.
• and they have smitten one another (אִישׁ בְּרֵעֵהוּ - ish bere'ehu): "Man against his neighbor." This phrase details their interpretation: the allied forces have turned upon and destroyed themselves. This assumption of internal strife among enemies is a recurring theme in divine intervention (e.g., Judg 7:22, 2 Chr 20:23).
• now therefore (וְעַתָּה - ve'attah): A logical connector signifying a call to immediate action based on the preceding conclusion. It reflects urgency and opportunistic thinking.
• Moab (מוֹאָב - Mo'av): Direct address to their own people, acting as a rallying cry.
• to the spoil (לַשָּׁלָל - lashshalal): "To the plunder/booty." This final phrase reveals their primary motivation: greed. They envision a quick, easy victory followed by vast spoils. Their covetousness blinds them to caution.

2 Kings 3 23 Bonus section

The "blood" illusion served as a form of psychological warfare. The Moabites, having already surrounded the camp, were eager to prevent the allied forces from reaching their land. This misinterpretation provided them with the perfect, seemingly effortless, reason to rush into battle, dismissing any tactical caution. This incident contrasts with the actual plague of blood in Exodus, where God literally turned water into blood as judgment. Here, the visual is merely a perception, illustrating God's capacity to use the environment and an enemy's internal biases for His purposes, even without supernatural transformation.

2 Kings 3 23 Commentary

2 Kings 3:23 is the pivot point of the narrative, highlighting a masterfully orchestrated divine intervention. God, through the natural phenomenon of sunlight reflecting off water in red clay, created a profound optical illusion that fed into the Moabites' pride, presumptions, and covetousness. They were looking for signs of battle or weakness, and what they saw fit perfectly into their expectation of their enemies' self-destruction. This verse is a testament to God's ability to confound the "wise" and deliver His people by means of clever, indirect strategies, using the enemy's own hubris and eagerness for spoil against them. The Moabites' haste to plunder (symbolized by "to the spoil") ultimately sealed their own doom, as they walked unsuspecting into the fully arrayed forces of Israel, Judah, and Edom.