Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

Therefore, Moab, to the spoil - Thus they came on in a disorderly manner, and fell an easy prey to their enemies.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

The sun had risen with a ruddy light, as is frequently the case after a storm (compare Matthew 16:3), nearly over the Israelite camp, and the pits, deep but with small mouths, gleaming redly through the haze which would lie along the newly moistened valley, seemed to the Moabites like pools of blood. The preceding year, they and their allies had mutually destroyed each other 2 Chronicles 20:23. It seemed to them, from their knowledge of the jealousies between Judah, Israel, and Edom, not unlikely that a similar calamity had now befallen their foes.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And they said, this is blood,.... They were very confident of it, having no notion of water, there having been no rain for some time; and perhaps it was not usual to see water at any time in this place:

the kings are surely slain; they and their forces:

and they have smitten one another; having quarrelled either about their religion, or about want of water, and the distress they were come into through it, laying the blame of their coming out to war, or of their coming that way, on one another; and the Moabites might rather think something of this kind had happened, from what had lately been done among themselves, and their allies, 2 Chronicles 20:23.

now therefore, Moab, to the spoil; having no occasion to fight, or prepare for it; all they had to do was to march directly to the enemy's camp, and plunder it.

Geneva Study Bible

(o) The sudden joy of the wicked is but a preparation for their destruction, which is at hand.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

2 Kings 3:23 And they said, This [is] blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.

Ver. 23. This is blood.] For water they were confident there could be none.

They have smitten one another.] Here they mused as themselves had used; [2 Chronicles 20:23] for why might not others fall out, and fall foul on one another, as they had done?

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

They were so highly confident, that they send no scouts, but march thither with their whole army, and that in great disorder; wherein there was also a Divine hand, strengthening them in their mistakes, and hardening them to their destruction.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

23.They have smitten one another — The self-destruction of the allied armies of Moab, Ammon, and Edom, (see 2 Chronicles 20:22-25,) was still fresh in the minds of the Moabites; and knowing the enmity and jealousy existing between Judah and Israel, and confident that the Edomites were no fast friends of either party, they very naturally imagined, from the sight of what appeared so much blood, that the different kings had fallen out among themselves and destroyed each other.

To the spoil — They supposed it only remained for them to go, as did Jehoshaphat on that former occasion, (2 Chronicles 20:25,) and gather up the precious jewels and other spoil from among the dead bodies.

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

slain = destroyed.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(23) The kings are surely slain.—Have surely fought with (or destroyed) one another. LXX., ἐμαχέσαντο. The supposition was not improbable. Confederates of different races not seldom had been known to fall out among themselves (comp. Judges 7:22; 2 Chronicles 20:23, and Note), and in this case the old enmity of Edom towards Israel, and the suppressed jealousies between Israel and Judah, made such a result very likely. The Moabites would know also that the wady had been waterless, so that their mistake was natural. When once their instinct for plunder was aroused they did not stop to think, but with a wild cry of “Moab, to the spoil !” they rushed in disorder upon the Israelite camp.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

This is blood

6:18-20; 7:6

slain

Heb. destroyed. now therefore.

Exodus 15:9; Judges 5:30; 2 Chronicles 20:25; Isaiah 10:14