2 Kings 3:26

THE MESSAGE

When the king of Moab realized that he was fighting a losing battle, he took seven hundred swordsmen to hack a corridor past the king of Edom, but they didn't make it. Then he took his son, his firstborn who would succeed him as king, and sacrificed him on the city wall. That set off furious anger against Israel. Israel pulled back and returned home.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took seven hundred swordsmen with him to try to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not do it.

Hebrew Names Version
When the king of Mo'av saw that the battle was too severe for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew sword, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not.

King James Version
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.

English Standard Version
When the king of Moab saw that the battle was going against him, he took with him 700 swordsmen to break through, opposite the king of Edom, but they could not.

New Century Version
When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too much for him, he took seven hundred men with swords to try to break through to the king of Edom. But they could not break through.

New English Translation
When the king of Moab realized he was losing the battle, he and 700 swordsmen tried to break through and attack the king of Edom, but they failed.

Amplified Bible
When 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.

New American Standard Bible
When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And when the King of Moab saw that the battel was too sore for him, he tooke wt him seuen hudreth men yt drew the sword, to break through vnto the King of Edom: but they could not.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the king of Moab saw that the battle was too strong for him, so he took with him 700 men who drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not.

Contemporary English Version
King Mesha of Moab saw that he was about to be defeated. So he took along seven hundred soldiers with swords and tried to break through the front line where the Edomite troops were positioned. But he failed.

Complete Jewish Bible
When the king of Mo'av saw that the fighting was too much for him, he took with him 700 men armed with swords and tried to break through to the king of Edom; but they couldn't do it.

Darby Translation
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.

Easy-to-Read Version
The king of Moab saw that the battle was too strong for him, so he took 700 men with swords to break through to the king of Edom. But they were not able to do it.

George Lamsa Translation
And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom; but he could not.

Good News Translation
When the king of Moab realized that he was losing the battle, he took seven hundred swordsmen with him and tried to force his way through the enemy lines and escape to the king of Syria, but he failed.

Lexham English Bible
When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too heavy for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew the sword to break through to the king of Edom, but they were not able.

Literal Translation
And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too strong for him, then he took with him seven hundred men who drew swords to break through to the king of Edom. And they were not able.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But wha the kynge of ye Moabites sawe yt the battayll was to stroge for him, he toke to him seuen C. men, which drue ye swerde, to fall vpon the kynge of Edom: neuertheles they were not able.

American Standard Version
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.

Bible in Basic English
And 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.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when the king of Moab saw that the battaile was to sore for him, he toke with him seuen hundred men that drew ye sword, to haue gone through [euen] vnto the king of Edom: but they could not.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
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.

King James Version (1611)
And when the king of Moab sawe that the battell was too sore for him, he tooke with him seuen hundred men that drewe swordes, to breake thorow euen vnto the king of Edom: but they could not.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the king of Moab saw that the battle prevailed against him; and he took with him seven hundred men that drew sword, to cut through to the king of Edom: and they could not.

English Revised Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
When 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.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne the kyng of Moab hadde seyn this, that is, that the enemyes hadden the maistrie, he took with hym seuene hundrid men drawynge swerdis, that thei shulden breke in to the kyng of Edom; and thei myyten not.

Young's Literal Translation
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,

Update Bible Version
And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too intense for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew sword, to break through to the king of Syria; but they could not.

Webster's Bible Translation
And 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.

World English Bible
When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too severe for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew sword, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not.

New King James Version
And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not.

New Living Translation
When the king of Moab saw that he was losing the battle, he led 700 of his swordsmen in a desperate attempt to break through the enemy lines near the king of Edom, but they failed.

New Life Bible
The king of Moab saw that the battle was too hard for him. So he took with him 700 men who used the sword, to break through to the king of Edom. But they could not.

New Revised Standard
When the king of Moab saw that the battle was going against him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through, opposite the king of Edom; but they could not.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, when the king of Moab saw that, the battle, prevailed against him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through against the king of Edom, but they could not.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when the king of Moab saw this, to wit, that the enemies had prevailed, he took with him seven hundred men that drew the sword, to break in upon the king of Edom: but they could not.

Revised Standard Version
When the king of Moab saw that the battle was going against him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through, opposite the king of Edom; but they could not.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him 700 men who drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not.

Contextual Overview

²⁰ In the morning—it was at the hour of morning sacrifice—the water had arrived, water pouring in from the west, from Edom, a flash flood filling the valley with water. ²¹By this time everyone in Moab had heard that the kings had come up to make war against them. Everyone who was able to handle a sword was called into service and took a stand at the border. They were up and ready early in the morning when the sun rose over the water. From where the Moabites stood, the water reflecting the sun looked red, like blood. ²³ "Blood! Look at the blood!" they said. "The kings must have fought each other—a bloody massacre! Go for the loot, Moab!" ²⁴When Moab entered the camp of Israel, the Israelites were up on their feet killing Moabites right and left, the Moabites running for their lives, Israelites relentless in pursuit—a slaughter. They leveled the towns, littered the cultivated fields with rocks, clogged the springs, and clear-cut the orchards. Only the capital, Kir Hareseth, was left intact, and that not for long; it too was surrounded and attacked with thrown and flung rocks. ²⁶When the king of Moab realized that he was fighting a losing battle, he took seven hundred swordsmen to hack a corridor past the king of Edom, but they didn't make it. Then he took his son, his firstborn who would succeed him as king, and sacrificed him on the city wall. That set off furious anger against Israel. Israel pulled back and returned home.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

unto the king of Edom: 2 Kings 3:9, Amos 2:1

Reciprocal: Numbers 24:17 - Moab Judges 8:10 - fell an hundred Judges 20:2 - drew sword

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him,.... The siege was so close, the slingers or engineers did so much execution, that he saw the city would soon be taken, and he be obliged to deliver it up:

he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords; men expert in war, bold and daring:

to break through even unto the king of Edom; through his quarters, and so escape, he lying nearest to the city, and perhaps the weakest body of men with him; or he might think he was not so hearty in the cause of the kings, and would make but a feeble resistance, and let him pass:

but they could not; break through they met with a greater opposition than was expected perhaps the Edomites remembered how they had lately used them, which made them fight more desperately against them, see

2 Chronicles 20:23.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

To break through, even unto the king of Edom - Either because he thought that the king of Edom would connive at his escape or to take vengeance on him for having deserted his former allies (2 Kings 3:8 note).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 3:26. 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 endeavoured 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.