2 Kings 3 · Verse 26

2 Kings 3:26

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.
2 Kings 3:26, King James Version

2 Kings 3:26 in other translations

BSBWhen the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not prevail.
WEBWhen the king of Moab saw that the battle was too severe for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew a sword, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not.
ASVAnd 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.
YLTAnd 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,
DARBYAnd 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.
BBEAnd when the king of Moab saw that the fight was going against him, he took with him seven hundred men armed with swords, with the idea of forcing a way through to the king of Aram, but they were not able to do so.
WebsterAnd when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too severe for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom: but they could not.

What does 2 Kings 3:26 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 26 Seven hundred men - These were no doubt the choice of all his troops, and being afraid of being hemmed up and perhaps taken by his enemies, whom he found on the eve of gaining possession of the city, he made a desperate sortie in order to regain the open country; and supposing that the quarter of the Edomites was weakest, or less carefully guarded, he endeavored to make his impression there; but they were so warmly received by the king of Edom that they failed in the attempt, and were driven back into the city. Hence he was led to that desperate act mentioned in the following verse.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Kings 3:20-27

It is a blessing to be favoured with the company of those who have power with God, and can prevail by their prayers. A kingdom may be upheld and prosper, in consequence of the fervent prayers of those who are dear to God. May we place our highest regard upon such as are most precious in his account. When sinners are saying Peace, peace, destruction comes upon them: despair will follow their mad presumption. In…

Read the full comment on 2 Kings 3:20-27 →

2 Kings 3:26 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיַּרְא֙vai.yaR'and he sawH7200
מֶ֣לֶךְMe.lekh[the] king ofH4428
מוֹאָ֔בmo.'AvMoabH4124
כִּֽי\־ki-thatH3588
חָזַ֥קcha.Zakit was [too] strongH2388
מִמֶּ֖נּוּmi.Me.nufor himH4480
הַמִּלְחָמָ֑הha.mil.cha.Mahthe battleH4421
וַיִּקַּ֣חvai.yi.Kachand he tookH3947
א֠וֹתוֹ'o.to<obj.> himH854
שְׁבַע\־she.va'-sevenH7651
מֵא֨וֹתme.'othundred<s>H3967
אִ֜ישׁ'ishmanH376
שֹׁ֣לֵֽףSho.lef[who] drewH8025
חֶ֗רֶבChe.reva swordH2719
לְהַבְקִ֛יעַle.hav.Ki.a'to break throughH1234
אֶל\־'el-toH413
מֶ֥לֶךְMe.lekh[the] king ofH4428
אֱד֖וֹם'e.DomEdomH123
וְלֹ֥אve.Lo'and notH3808
יָכֹֽלוּ\׃ya.Kho.luthey were ableH3201

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Kings 3:26

  • Amos 2:1

    Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime:

  • 2 Kings 3:9

    So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days’ journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
unto the king of Edom.
9; Am 2:1

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Kings 3:25

    And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees: only in Kir–haraseth left they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it.

  • 2 Kings 3:26

    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.

  • 2 Kings 3:27

    Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.

Read all of 2 Kings 3

2 Kings 3:26 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y cuando el rey de Moab vió que la batalla lo vencía, tomó consigo setecientos hombres que sacaban espada, para romper contra el rey de Idumea: mas no pudieron.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et le roi de Moab vit que la bataille devenait trop forte pour lui, et il prit avec lui 700 hommes tirant l’épée, pour se frayer un chemin jusqu’au roi d’Édom; mais ils ne purent pas.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und als der König von Moab sah, daß ihm der Streit zu stark war, nahm er 700 Mann mit sich, die das Schwert zogen, um gegen den König von Edom hin durchzubrechen; aber sie vermochten es nicht.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Quod cum vidisset rex Moab, prævaluisse scilicet hostes, tulit secum septingentos viros educentes gladium, ut irrumperent ad regem Edom: et non potuerunt.