2 Kings 3:18

2Ki 3:18 And this is [but] a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.

Ver. 18. And this is but a light thing.] A great thing it was in itself considered - else Lysimachus would never have parted with his kingdom for a cup of water, to save his life; but behold a greater, and admire the goodness of God to an undeserving people.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ki 3:18. This is but a light thing in the sight of the Lord — But a small favour in comparison of what he intends to do for you, for Jehoshaphat’s sake. He will give you more than you expect or ask. For they were so weakened and discouraged by the great drought, that they had no hopes of proceeding in the offensive war, and thought it sufficient, if it were possible, to defend themselves from the Moabites, 2Ki 3:13.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3:18-20 The supply of water—a simple thing for the Lord—was a harbinger of God’s enabling the allies to defeat the army of Moab.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

He will not only miraculously give you waters, but your enemies also into your hand.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(18) Is but a light thing.—Will be a light thing (1Ki_16:31).

He will deliver the Moabites.—The contrary of Jehoram’s expectation (2Ki_3:10; 2Ki_3:13).

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

18. And this is but a light thing] For the expression cf. below ch. 2Ki_20:10. What God gives, He gives to the full. He will not only guide the forces of nature so that the bodily wants of the armies shall be supplied, but will crown their expedition with success.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them,.... The kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom:

they gathered all that were able to put on armour, and upward; that were of an age capable of that, and all who were more grown; or "girt on a girdle" (l), a military one, with which the sword was girt, who were at age to wear and knew how to wield a sword: and stood in the border; of their land, between Edom and them, to defend themselves and their country against these invaders.

(l) "eingente cingulo", Montanus.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

This is but a small favour in comparison of what he intends to you for Jehoshaphat’s sake. He will give you more than you ask or expect. For they were so weakened and discouraged with the great drought, that they had no hopes of proceeding in the offensive war, and thought it sufficient, if it were possible, to defend themselves from the Moabites, 2Ki 3:13.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

And this is but a light thing in the sight of the Lord. God, the Author of nature, has full control over nature, and it is an easy matter for him to produce at will any natural phenomena. It is otherwise when the stubborn element of the human will is brought into play. Then difficulty may arise. He will deliver the Moabites also into your hand. It would be better to translate, he will also deliver (see the Revised Version).

Vers. 18-27.

The defeat of Moab.

This also was foretold by Elisha as a mercy from the Lord, in comparison with which the supply of water was "a light thing." If these are God"s "light things," surely we need not fear to ask from him all that we require. Our sin is, not in asking too much, but in asking too little. "He (Joh_16:24) is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think". (Eph_3:20)

I LOST THROUGH ILLUSION. The manner in which the defeat of the Moabites was brought about is very remarkable. The defeat was caused:

1. Through illusion. Their forces that were able to put on amour, and upward were mustered on the mountains opposite, ready for battle on the morrow. As the morning sun rose, its red beams, falling on the pools of water in the valley, gave the water the appearance of blood an effect to which the red soil may have contributed. This startling appearance the Moabites who knew nothing of the unlooked-for supply of water interpreted in their own way. They said, "This is blood," and concluded remembering a recent experience of their own (2Ch 20) that the attacking forces had fallen out, and destroyed each other.

2. Through over-haste and over-confidence. The cry was at once raised, "Moab, to the spoil!" and, casting aside all precautions, the people flew down, to find themselves in the power of their enemies. How many defeats are sustained in life from the same causes! We eagerly snatch at first appearances, which are often so deceptive; we hurry to the fray, without faking due precautions or counting the cost; we are confident in our strength or numbers as sufficient to bear down all opposition, if by chance we should be surprised. Therefore we fail. God often snares men through their own illusions. Haman went to Esther"s banquet under the illusion that it was the road to highest honor, and found it the way to death. (Est_5:11, Est_5:12) Of the wicked it is said, "For this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie". (2Th_2:11)

II THE MERCILESS PURSUIT. The passage describing this pursuit is a terrible illustration of the severities of war. They were, perhaps, under the circumstances, not needless severities, but they are nonetheless extreme and painful to think of.

(1) The Moabites were pursued into their own country, and cut down in the pursuit.

(2) The cities were leveled to the ground.

(3) The good land was made useless by every man casting on it a stone, till it was covered with stones.

(4) Even fruit trees were cut down, and wells stopped.

(5) There remained only the city of Kir-haraseth, which, on its elevated plateau, defied direct assault; but it they besieged, while the slingers, taking their station on the surrounding eminences, galled it with their missiles. The words of the prophet in ver. 19 are perhaps prediction, not command, but it may be inferred that he gave the policy pursued his sanction. The object was so effectually to cripple the power of Moab that it would not be able to lift up the head for many a day to come.

1. The most direct lesson we can learn from the passage is the dreadfulness of war. Wherever or however waged, wars are a source of incalculable misery. Even just wars entail a loss of life, a destruction of wealth, and a waste of the means of production and of human happiness, which may well make the heart of the lover of his species sicken.

2. An indirect lesson to be gleaned from ver. 25 is the power of little things man his stone." By each man bringing but a single stone, theground was covered, and the end aimed at attained. The power was wielded here for destruction, but it may be wielded as well for good. Each doing his individual part though that in itself is little great results will be achieved.

3. We do well to carry into moral warfare the same thoroughness as is here displayed in physical warfare. Not content with operating on individuals, let us strike at causes and sources stopping the wells of poisonous influence, etc.

III THE LAST TRAGIC ACT. The war was brought to a sudden and unlooked-for termination.

1. The fearful sacrifice. Beaten into his last stronghold, driven to desperation, the King of Moab, having made an unsuccessful sortie with seven hundred men, resolved on an act which, he rightly judged, would strike horror into the hearts of his enemies, while it might also propitiate his god. He took his eldest son, the heir to his throne, and offered him up for a burnt offering on the wall.

(1) The fact that he performed the sacrifice upon the wall would seem to show that he had in view as much the effect to be produced on the spectators as the possible effect to be produced on Chemosh.

(2) The deed was awful and inhuman perhaps, from Mesha"s point of view, not without its nobler and patriotic side but in itself most detestable. We have need to be thankful for a purer religious faith, which teaches us that God does not delight in such unnatural and cruel acts. (Mic_6:6-9)

2. Repulsed by horror. "There was," we read, "great indignation against or, "upon" Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land." The meaning seems to be that the ghastly act produced a universal horror, which turned into indignation against Israel as the original authors of the expedition which had so dreadful an end. There is an element of superstition in all men, and sudden revulsions of feeling, caused by an act that powerfully impresses the imagination, are not uncommon. The Israelites themselves so far sympathized with the emotion of horror which brought upon them the indignation of the Moabites, of neighboring tribes, perhaps also of the Edomites and others among their own allies, that they gave up the thought of proceeding further. This seems a more natural explanation than either

(1) that the indignation meant is that of Jehovah; or

(2) that it is the wrath of Chemosh(!); or

(3) the subjective horror of the Israelites themselves. J.O.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

This is an easy thing in the sight of Yahweh

The sight of Yahweh represents Yahweh's judgment or evaluation. AT: "Yahweh considers this as an easy thing to do" or "This is an easy thing for Yahweh to do" (See: Metaphor)

fortified city

A fortified city is well protected from enemies by such things as high walls or a easily defensible location.

ruin every good piece of land with rocks

This means to put rocks on the fertile land so that it is difficult to use. The meaning of this statement can be made clear. AT: "ruin every good piece of land by covering them with rocks" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

translationWords

Moab

fountain

ruin

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

This is easy. And furthermore, this miracle is slight and insignificant in the eyes of God, and He will proceed to act wondrously with you and [perform] another miracle, and He will deliver Moav into your hand.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.