Bible Strands
2 Kings 3:19
And you shall attack every fortified city and every city of importance. You shall cut down every good tree, stop up every spring, and ruin every good field with stones.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The LORD commands the allied kings to attack every fortified and choice city, cut down trees, stop springs, and ruin fields with stones during a campaign against Moab.
The words — The verb הִכִּיתֶם (hi.ki.Tem) means "you will strike down," paired with כָּל (kol), "every," to emphasize comprehensive devastation.
The thread — This command to destroy fortified cities echoes the siege instructions in Deuteronomy 20:19, while the promise of divine deliverance recalls the assurance in Judges 6:16.
Why it lands — The text demands complete obedience to a divinely authorized war of attrition, requiring the reader to confront the severity of holy war without softening its commands.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- Numbers 24:17 I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come forth from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel. He will crush the skulls of Moab and strike down all the sons of Sheth.
- Deuteronomy 20:19 When you lay siege to a city for an extended time while fighting against it to capture it, you must not destroy its trees by putting an axe to them, because you can eat their fruit. You must not cut them down. Are the trees of the field human, that you should besiege them?
- Judges 6:16 “Surely I will be with you,” the LORD replied, “and you will strike down all the Midianites as one man.”
- 1 Samuel 15:3 Now go and attack the Amalekites and devote to destruction all that belongs to them. Do not spare them, but put to death men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”
- 1 Samuel 23:2 So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go and attack these Philistines?” And the LORD said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”
- 2 Kings 3:25 They destroyed the cities, and each man threw stones on every good field until it was covered. They stopped up every spring and cut down every good tree. Only Kir-haraseth was left with stones in place, but men with slings surrounded it and attacked it as well.
- 2 Kings 13:17 “Open the east window,” said Elisha. So he opened it and Elisha said, “Shoot!” So he shot. And Elisha declared: “This is the LORD’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram, for you shall strike the Arameans in Aphek until you have put an end to them.”