2 Kings 3:22
◄  2 Kings 3:22  ►
New International Version (©2011)
When they got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water. To the Moabites across the way, the water looked red--like blood.

New Living Translation (©2007)
But when they got up the next morning, the sun was shining across the water, making it appear red to the Moabites--like blood.

English Standard Version (©2001)
And when they rose early in the morning and the sun shone on the water, the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
They rose early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood:

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
When they got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water, and the Moabites saw that the water across from them was red like blood."

International Standard Version (©2012)
As the Moabites arose early that morning, the sun cast its rays on the water, and to the Moabites, the water across from them appeared to be red like blood.

NET Bible (©2006)
When they got up early the next morning, the sun was shining on the water. To the Moabites, who were some distance away, the water looked red like blood.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
When the Moabites got up early in the morning as the sun was rising over the water, they saw the water from a distance. It was as red as blood.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood:

American King James Version
And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood:

American Standard Version
And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water over against them as red as blood:

Douay-Rheims Bible
And they rose early in the morning, and the sun being now up, and shining upon the waters, the Moabites saw the waters over against them red, like blood,

Darby Bible Translation
And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun rose upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side red as blood.

English Revised Version
And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water over against them as red as blood:

Webster's Bible Translation
And they rose early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood:

World English Bible
They rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water over against them as red as blood.

Young's Literal Translation
And they rise early in the morning, and the sun hath shone on the waters, and the Moabites see, from over-against, the waters red as blood,

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

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 Satan's service and at his suggestion, such horrid deeds have been done, as cause the natural feelings of the heart to shudder; like the king of Moab's sacrificing his son. It is well not to urge the worst of men to extremities; we should rather leave them to the judgment of God.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 22. - And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood. The red hue of the water is ascribed by Ewald to "the red tinge of the soil" in the part of Edom where the rain had fallen ('History of Israel,' vol. 4. p. 88); by Keil, to "the reddish earth of the freshly dug trenches," or pits ('Commentary on 2 Kings,' p. 305); but the only cause of the redness mentioned either in Kings or in Josephus is the ruddy hue of the sunrise. A ruddy sunrise is common in the East, more especially in stormy weather (see Matthew 16:3); and the red light, falling upon the water in the pits, and reflected thence to the opposite side of the wady, would quite sufficiently account for the mistake of the Moabites, without supposing that the water was actually stained and discolored. The Moabites concluded that the red-looking liquid was blood, from knowing that the wady was dry the day before, and from not suspecting that there had been any change in the night, as the storm which had caused the change was at such a distance.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And they rose up early in the morning,.... To watch the motions of their enemies, and be upon their guard against them:

and the sun shone upon the water; with which the valley was filled:

and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood; so it appeared through the rays of the sun reflected on it.

2 Kings 3:22 Parallel Commentaries

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Jehoram Overcomes Moab's Revolt
…21And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armor, and upward, and stood in the border. 22And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood: 23And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil. …

2 Kings 3:21 Now all the Moabites had heard that the kings had come to fight against them; so every man, young and old, who could bear arms was called up and stationed on the border.
2 Kings 3:23 "That's blood!" they said. "Those kings must have fought and slaughtered each other. Now to the plunder, Moab!"