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Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 3:18

And this is but a light thing in the sight of the Lord. God, the Author of nature, has full control over nature, and it is an easy matter for him to produce at will any natural phenomena. It is otherwise when the stubborn element of the human will is brought into play. Then difficulty may arise. He will deliver the Moabites also into your hand. It would be better to translate, he will also deliver (see the Revised Version). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 3:18-27

The defeat of Moab. This also was foretold by Elisha as a mercy from the Lord, in comparison with which the supply of water was "a light thing." If these are God's "light things," surely we need not fear to ask from him all that we require. Our sin is, not in asking too much, but in asking too little ( John 16:24 ). "He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think" ( Ephesians 3:20 ). I. LOST THROUGH ILLUSION . The manner in which the defeat of the Moabites... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 3:19

And ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city. The LXX . omit the second clause, perhaps because they could not reproduce in Greek the assonance of the Hebrew, where the words for "fenced" and "choice" ( מִבְצֶר and מִבְצוֹר ) have nearly the same sound. And shall fell every good tree. It has been said that the Law forbade this, and argued But a careful examination of the passage in Deuteronomy will show read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 2 Kings 3:19

Ye 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 mentioned in the inscriptions of Egypt.And... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 2 Kings 3:18

2 Kings 3:18. This is but a light thing in the sight of the Lord But a small favour in comparison of what he intends to do for you, for Jehoshaphat’s sake. He will give you more than you expect or ask. For they were so weakened and discouraged by the great drought, that they had no hopes of proceeding in the offensive war, and thought it sufficient, if it were possible, to defend themselves from the Moabites, 2 Kings 3:13. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 2 Kings 3:19

2 Kings 3:19. Ye shall smite, &c. If this command seem severe, it must be considered that the Moabites were a very wicked people, perfidious, cruel, and implacable enemies to God’s people upon all occasions, and now in a state of rebellion. But these words are rather to be considered as a prediction of their success, than as a command, enjoining them to do all these things; and thus understood, they imply that their victory should be so full and complete, that they should have it in... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 3:1-27

Elisha helps in the defeat of Moab (3:1-27)Joram (or Jehoram) succeeded his brother Ahaziah in Israel. He was not as bad as his father Ahab, and at least showed some displeasure with Baal worship by removing a sacred pillar that his father had built (3:1-3).After Ahab’s death, Moab had revolted against Israelite rule and refused to pay tribute, but Ahaziah did nothing about it (see 1:1). Joram tried to recover this valuable source of income by a military attack in which he had the support of... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 2 Kings 3:18

ELISHA ALSO PROPHESIED THE DEFEAT OF THE MOABITES"And this is but a light thing in the sight of Jehovah: he will also deliver the Moabites into your hand. And ye shall smite every fortified city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all fountains of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones. And it came to pass, in the morning, about the time of offering the oblation, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 2 Kings 3:19

2 Kings 3:19. And mar every good piece of land with stones— Commentators seem to have been at no pains to account for this part of the punishment of the king of Moab's rebellion; though it does not appear very easy to conceive how the thing was to be done to any purpose; and, indeed, without giving as much trouble, or more, to Israel to gather these stones, and carry them on the lands of the Moabites, as to the latter to gather them up again, and carry them off. I would therefore propose it to... read more

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