The Meaning of 2 Kings 3:14 Explained

2 Kings 3:14

KJV: And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.

YLT: And Elisha saith, 'Jehovah of Hosts liveth, before whom I have stood; for unless the face of Jehoshaphat king of Judah I am lifting up, I do not look unto thee, nor see thee;

Darby: And Elisha said, As Jehovah of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee nor see thee.

ASV: And Elisha said, As Jehovah of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Elisha  said,  [As] the LORD  of hosts  liveth,  before  whom I stand,  surely, were it not that  I regard  the presence  of Jehoshaphat  the king  of Judah,  I would not look  toward thee, nor see  thee. 

What does 2 Kings 3:14 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 3:13-27 - Mesha's Defeat And Desperate Sacrifice
Jehoshaphat, though erring, was still God's child, and deliverance came to him. The heights of our senseless folly and the depths of our waywardness will not succeed in severing us from God's love. Elisha used the very words of Elijah, 2 Kings 3:14 and 1 Kings 17:1. Notice how men of different mold and mission, the Elijahs and the Elishas, derive their inspiration and strength in the same way. As a great Christian general put it, "Every morning I stand at attention before my Maker." Note the effect of music in soothing the soul! 2 Kings 3:15.
In all God's gifts there is need for our cooperation. He alone can send the water, but we must trench the ground. Our expectant faith creates the capacity to receive God's gifts; but when we have gone to our limit and the valley is filled with ditches, He is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond. The answer came at the hour of morning prayer, and probably at the prophet's intercession, 1 Kings 8:44. God's answers are often too deep and inward to give outward sign. There is sound of neither wind nor rain; but our prayers are answered to the full. Many of the points in this narrative-notably 2 Kings 3:27 -have been corroborated by the recent explorations in Moab. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Kings 3

1  Jehoram's reign
4  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

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 3:14 mean?

And said Elisha [As] lives Yahweh of hosts whom I stand before surely were it not the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah I that regard nor I would not look at you nor see you
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלִישָׁ֗ע חַי־ יְהוָ֤ה צְבָאוֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָמַ֣דְתִּי לְפָנָ֔יו כִּ֗י לוּלֵ֛י פְּנֵ֛י יְהוֹשָׁפָ֥ט מֶֽלֶךְ־ יְהוּדָ֖ה אֲנִ֣י נֹשֵׂ֑א אִם־ אַבִּ֥יט אֵלֶ֖יךָ וְאִם־ אֶרְאֶֽךָּ

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֱלִישָׁ֗ע  Elisha 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱלִישָׁע  
Sense: the great prophet who succeeded Elijah.
חַי־  [As]  lives 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
יְהוָ֤ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָאוֹת֙  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עָמַ֣דְתִּי  I  stand 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
לְפָנָ֔יו  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
כִּ֗י  surely 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
לוּלֵ֛י  were  it  not 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לוּלֵא  
Sense: unless, if not, except.
פְּנֵ֛י  the  presence 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יְהוֹשָׁפָ֥ט  of  Jehoshaphat 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹושָׁפָט 
Sense: son of king Asa and himself king of Judah for 25 years; one of the best, most pious, and prosperous kings of Judah.
מֶֽלֶךְ־  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
יְהוּדָ֖ה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
נֹשֵׂ֑א  that  regard 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
אִם־  nor 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
אַבִּ֥יט  I  would  not  look 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: נָבַט  
Sense: to look, regard.
אֵלֶ֖יךָ  at  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
וְאִם־  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
אֶרְאֶֽךָּ  see  you 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.