The Meaning of 2 Kings 3:26 Explained

2 Kings 3:26

KJV: And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through even unto the king of Edom: but they could not.

YLT: And the king of Moab seeth that the battle has been too strong for him, and he taketh with him seven hundred men, drawing sword, to cleave through unto the king of Edom, and they have not been able,

Darby: And the king of Moab saw that the battle was too severe for him, and he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not.

ASV: And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew sword, to break through unto the king of Edom; but they could not.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And when the king  of Moab  saw  that the battle  was too sore  for him, he took  with him seven  hundred  men  that drew  swords,  to break through  [even] unto the king  of Edom:  but they could  not. 

What does 2 Kings 3:26 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 3:26 mean?

And when saw the king of Moab that was too fierce for him the battle and he took with him seven hundred men who drew swords to break through to of Edom but not they could
וַיַּרְא֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מוֹאָ֔ב כִּֽי־ חָזַ֥ק מִמֶּ֖נּוּ הַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה וַיִּקַּ֣ח א֠וֹתוֹ שְׁבַע־ מֵא֨וֹת אִ֜ישׁ שֹׁ֣לֵֽף חֶ֗רֶב לְהַבְקִ֛יעַ אֶל־ אֱד֖וֹם וְלֹ֥א יָכֹֽלוּ

וַיַּרְא֙  And  when  saw 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
מֶ֣לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
מוֹאָ֔ב  of  Moab 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מֹואָב 
Sense: a son of Lot by his eldest daughter.
כִּֽי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
חָזַ֥ק  was  too  fierce 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָזַק  
Sense: to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore.
מִמֶּ֖נּוּ  for  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
הַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה  the  battle 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִלְחָמָה  
Sense: battle, war.
וַיִּקַּ֣ח  and  he  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
א֠וֹתוֹ  with  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
שְׁבַע־  seven 
Parse: Number, feminine singular construct
Root: שֶׁבַע  
Sense: seven (cardinal number).
מֵא֨וֹת  hundred 
Parse: Number, feminine plural
Root: מֵאָה 
Sense: hundred.
אִ֜ישׁ  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
שֹׁ֣לֵֽף  who  drew 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct
Root: שָׁלַף  
Sense: to draw out or off, take off.
חֶ֗רֶב  swords 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
לְהַבְקִ֛יעַ  to  break  through 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: בָּקַע  
Sense: to split, cleave, break open, divide, break through, rip up, break up, tear.
אֱד֖וֹם  of  Edom 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱדֹום 
Sense: Edom.
וְלֹ֥א  but  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יָכֹֽלוּ  they  could 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָכֹל  
Sense: to prevail, overcome, endure, have power, be able.

What are the major concepts related to 2 Kings 3:26?

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