Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version When 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. New Living Translation But when they got up the next morning, the sun was shining across the water, making it appear red to the Moabites—like blood. English Standard Version And when they rose early in the morning and the sun shone on the water, the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood. Berean Standard Bible When they got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water, and it looked as red as blood to the Moabites across the way. King James Bible And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood: New King James Version Then they rose up early in the morning, and the sun was shining on the water; and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood. New American Standard Bible Then they got up early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood. NASB 1995 They rose early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood. NASB 1977 And they rose early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood. Legacy Standard Bible Then they rose early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood. Amplified Bible When they got up early the next morning, the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water across from them as red as blood. Christian Standard Bible When they got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water, and the Moabites saw that the water across from them was red like blood. Holman Christian Standard Bible When they got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water, and the Moabites saw that the water across from them was red like blood.” American Standard Version And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water over against them as red as blood: Contemporary English Version When they got up that morning, the sun was shining across the water, making it look red. The Moabite troops took one look English Revised Version And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water over against them as red as blood: GOD'S WORD® Translation When the Moabites got up early in the morning as the sun was rising over the water, they saw the water from a distance. It was as red as blood. Good News Translation When they got up the following morning, the sun was shining on the water, making it look as red as blood. International Standard Version As the Moabites arose early that morning, the sun cast its rays on the water, and to the Moabites, the water across from them appeared to be red like blood. Majority Standard Bible When they got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water, and it looked as red as blood to the Moabites across the way. NET Bible When they got up early the next morning, the sun was shining on the water. To the Moabites, who were some distance away, the water looked red like blood. New Heart English Bible They rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water over against them as red as blood. Webster's Bible Translation And they rose early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood: World English Bible They rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd they rise early in the morning, and the sun has shone on the waters, and the Moabites see, from opposite [them], [that] the waters [are] red as blood, Young's Literal Translation And they rise early in the morning, and the sun hath shone on the waters, and the Moabites see, from over-against, the waters red as blood, Smith's Literal Translation And they will rise early in the morning, and the sun rose upon the waters and Moab will see from opposite the waters red as blood: Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd they rose early in the morning, and the sun being now up, and shining upon the waters, the Moabites saw the waters over against them red, like blood, Catholic Public Domain Version And rising up in early morning, and when the sun was now rising before the waters, the Moabites saw the waters opposite them, which were red like blood. New American Bible When they rose early that morning, the sun was shining across the water. The Moabites saw the water as red as blood, New Revised Standard Version When they rose early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood; Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And they arose at dawn, and the sun arose on the waters, and the Moabites saw from opposite the waters that they were red as blood. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water some way off as red as blood; Brenton Septuagint Translation And they rose early in the morning, and the sun rose upon the waters, and Moab saw the waters on the opposite side red as blood. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Joram Overcomes Moab's Rebellion…21Now all the Moabites had heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. So all who could bear arms, young and old, were summoned and stationed at the border. 22When they got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water, and it looked as red as blood to the Moabites across the way. 23“This is blood!” they exclaimed. “The kings have clashed swords and slaughtered one another. Now to the plunder, Moab!”… Cross References Exodus 7:20-21 Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded; in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials, Aaron raised the staff and struck the water of the Nile, and all the water was turned to blood. / The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. And there was blood throughout the land of Egypt. Joshua 2:9-11 and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of you. / For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites across the Jordan, whom you devoted to destruction. / When we heard this, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth below. Judges 7:22 And when the three hundred rams’ horns sounded, the LORD set all the men in the camp against one another with their swords. The army fled to Beth-shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath. 1 Samuel 14:15-16 Then panic struck the Philistines in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Even those in the outposts and raiding parties trembled. Indeed, the earth quaked, and panic spread from God. / Now when Saul’s watchmen at Gibeah in Benjamin looked and saw the troops melting away and scattering in every direction, 1 Samuel 17:24 When all the men of Israel saw Goliath, they fled from him in great fear. 1 Kings 20:13-14 Meanwhile a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Do you see this entire great army? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand this very day, and you will know that I am the LORD.’” / “By whom?” Ahab asked. And the prophet replied, “This is what the LORD says: ‘By the young officers of the district governors.’” “Who will start the battle?” asked Ahab. “You will,” answered the prophet. 2 Kings 6:18-20 As the Arameans came down against him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, “Please strike these people with blindness.” So He struck them with blindness, according to the word of Elisha. / And Elisha told them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will take you to the man you are seeking.” And he led them to Samaria. / When they had entered Samaria, Elisha said, “O LORD, open the eyes of these men that they may see.” Then the LORD opened their eyes, and they looked around and discovered that they were in Samaria. 2 Kings 7:6-7 For the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots, horses, and a great army, so that they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel must have hired the kings of the Hittites and Egyptians to attack us.” / Thus the Arameans had arisen and fled at twilight, abandoning their tents and horses and donkeys. The camp was intact, and they had run for their lives. Psalm 48:4-6 For behold, the kings assembled; they all advanced together. / They saw and were astounded; they fled in terror. / Trembling seized them there, anguish like a woman in labor. Isaiah 19:2-3 “So I will incite Egyptian against Egyptian; brother will fight against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city, and kingdom against kingdom. / Then the spirit of the Egyptians will be emptied out from among them, and I will frustrate their plans, so that they will resort to idols and spirits of the dead, to mediums and spiritists. Isaiah 37:36-37 Then the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 men in the camp of the Assyrians. When the people got up the next morning, there were all the dead bodies! / So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there. Ezekiel 38:21-23 And I will summon a sword against Gog on all My mountains, declares the Lord GOD, and every man’s sword will be against his brother. / I will execute judgment upon him with plague and bloodshed. I will pour out torrents of rain, hailstones, fire, and sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him. / I will magnify and sanctify Myself, and I will reveal Myself in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD. Matthew 24:6-7 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come. / Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. Mark 13:7-8 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come. / Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, as well as famines. These are the beginning of birth pains. Luke 21:9-11 When you hear of wars and rebellions, do not be alarmed. These things must happen first, but the end is not imminent.” / Then He told them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. / There will be great earthquakes, famines, and pestilences in various places, along with fearful sights and great signs from heaven. Treasury of Scripture And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood: This is blood 2 Kings 6:18-20 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha… 2 Kings 7:6 For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us. slain [heb] destroyed Exodus 15:9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. Judges 5:30 Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil? 2 Chronicles 20:25 And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much. Jump to Previous Blood Early Facing Moabites Morning Opposite Over-Against Red Rise Rose Shining Shone Side Sun Water Waters WayJump to Next Blood Early Facing Moabites Morning Opposite Over-Against Red Rise Rose Shining Shone Side Sun Water Waters Way2 Kings 3 1. Jehoram's reign4. Mesha rebels 6. Jehoram, with Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom, being distressed for want of water, 13. by Elisha obtains water, and promise of victory 21. The Moabites, deceived by the colour of the water, coming to spoil, are overcome 26. The king of Moab sacrifices his son, and raises the siege When they got up early in the morning This phrase sets the scene for a significant event. In biblical times, rising early was often associated with diligence and readiness for action. The early morning light can symbolize new beginnings or divine intervention. In the context of this passage, it marks the moment before a miraculous event unfolds, reminiscent of other biblical narratives where God acts at dawn, such as the crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:27). the sun was shining on the water and it looked as red as blood to the Moabites across the way Persons / Places / Events 1. MoabitesA nation descended from Moab, the son of Lot. They were often in conflict with Israel. 2. Israelites The people of Israel, led by King Jehoram, who were in alliance with Judah and Edom against Moab. 3. Jehoram The king of Israel who sought to subdue Moab after they rebelled against his rule. 4. Jehoshaphat The king of Judah who allied with Jehoram in the campaign against Moab. 5. Edom A neighboring nation that joined Israel and Judah in their military campaign against Moab. Teaching Points God's Sovereignty in BattleGod can use natural phenomena to achieve His purposes. The reflection of the sun on the water was perceived as blood, leading to the Moabites' confusion and eventual defeat. Perception vs. Reality The Moabites' misinterpretation of the water as blood teaches us about the dangers of relying solely on human perception without seeking divine insight. Divine Strategy God's strategies often defy human logic. Trusting in His plans, even when they seem unconventional, can lead to victory. Unity Among Believers The alliance between Israel, Judah, and Edom highlights the importance of unity among God's people in facing common challenges. Faith in Action The Israelites' obedience in following God's instructions, despite the odds, demonstrates the importance of faith in action.(22) They rose up early.--The Moabite camp on the frontier mountains. And the sun shone upon the water.--A parenthesis (now the sun had risen upon the water). The red sunrise tinged the water with the same colour. On the other side.--Min-neged, "opposite," "over against them" (2Kings 2:7; 2Kings 2:15). The sun rose behind the Moabites. Red.--'Ad?m. There may be an allusion to the red earth of the locality (Edom), which would further redden the water. Verse 22. - And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood. The red hue of the water is ascribed by Ewald to "the red tinge of the soil" in the part of Edom where the rain had fallen ('History of Israel,' vol. 4. p. 88); by Keil, to "the reddish earth of the freshly dug trenches," or pits ('Commentary on 2 Kings,' p. 305); but the only cause of the redness mentioned either in Kings or in Josephus is the ruddy hue of the sunrise. A ruddy sunrise is common in the East, more especially in stormy weather (see Matthew 16:3); and the red light, falling upon the water in the pits, and reflected thence to the opposite side of the wady, would quite sufficiently account for the mistake of the Moabites, without supposing that the water was actually stained and discolored. The Moabites concluded that the red-looking liquid was blood, from knowing that the wady was dry the day before, and from not suspecting that there had been any change in the night, as the storm which had caused the change was at such a distance.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew When they got up earlyוַיַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ (way·yaš·kî·mū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 7925: To load up, to start early in the morning in the morning, בַבֹּ֔קֶר (ḇab·bō·qer) Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 1242: Dawn, morning the sun וְהַשֶּׁ֖מֶשׁ (wə·haš·še·meš) Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - common singular Strong's 8121: The sun, the east, a ray, a notched battlement was shining זָרְחָ֣ה (zā·rə·ḥāh) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular Strong's 2224: To irradiate, to rise, to appear on עַל־ (‘al-) Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against the water, הַמָּ֑יִם (ham·mā·yim) Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen and [it] הַמַּ֖יִם (ham·ma·yim) Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen looked וַיִּרְא֨וּ (way·yir·’ū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 7200: To see [as] red אֲדֻמִּ֥ים (’ă·ḏum·mîm) Adjective - masculine plural Strong's 122: Rosy as blood כַּדָּֽם׃ (kad·dām) Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 1818: Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshed to the Moabites מוֹאָ֥ב (mō·w·’āḇ) Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 4124: Moab -- a son of Lot,also his descendants and the territory where they settled across the way. מִנֶּ֛גֶד (min·ne·ḡeḏ) Preposition-m Strong's 5048: A front, part opposite, a counterpart, mate, over against, before Links 2 Kings 3:22 NIV2 Kings 3:22 NLT 2 Kings 3:22 ESV 2 Kings 3:22 NASB 2 Kings 3:22 KJV 2 Kings 3:22 BibleApps.com 2 Kings 3:22 Biblia Paralela 2 Kings 3:22 Chinese Bible 2 Kings 3:22 French Bible 2 Kings 3:22 Catholic Bible OT History: 2 Kings 3:22 They rose up early in the morning (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg) |
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