2 Kings 3:14

Elisha said, “As Yahweh of Armies lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I respect the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward you, nor see you.

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

Elisha said, “As the LORD of Armies lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I respect the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look towards you, nor see you.

BSB

Then Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not for my regard for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you or acknowledge you.

KJV

And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.

ASV

And Elisha said, As Jehovah of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.

BBE

Then Elisha said, By the life of the Lord of armies whose servant I am, if it was not for the respect I have for Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, I would not give a look at you, or see you.

Original Hebrew

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וַיֹּאמֶר vai·yo·mer and he said H559 אֱלִישָׁע 'e·li·sha' Elisha H477 חַי־ chai- [by] [the] life H2416 יְהוָה yah·weh of Yahweh H3068 צְבָאוֹת tze·va·'ot of hosts H6635 אֲשֶׁר 'a·sher whom H834 עָמַדְתִּי 'a·mad·ti I stand H5975 לְפָנָיו le·fa·nav (to) before him H6440 כִּי ki for H3588 לוּלֵי lu·lei if not H3884 פְּנֵי pe·nei [the] face of H6440 יְהוֹשָׁפָט ye·ho·sha·fat Jehoshaphat H3092 מֶלֶךְ־ me·lekh- [the] king of H4428 יְהוּדָה ye·hu·dah Judah H3063 אֲנִי 'a·ni I H589 נֹשֵׂא no·se' [am] lifting up H5375 אִם־ 'im- if H518 אַבִּיט 'a·bit I will look H5027 אֵלֶיךָ 'e·lei·kha to you H413 וְאִם־ ve·'im- and if H518 אֶרְאֶךָּ 'er·'e·ka I will see you H7200

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 6–19

The king of Israel laments their distress, and the danger they were in. He called these kings together, yet he charges it upon Providence. Thus the foolishness of man perverteth his way, and then his heart fretteth against the Lord, Pr 19:3. It was well that Jehoshaphat inquired of the Lord now, but it had been much better if he had done it before he engaged in this war. Good men sometimes neglect their duty, till necessity and affliction drive them to it. Wicked people often fare the better for the friendship and society of the godly. To try their faith and obedience, Elisha bids them make the valley full of pits to receive water. Those who expect God's blessings, must dig pools for the rain to fill, as in the valley of Baca, and thus make even that a well, Psa 84:6. We need not inquire whence the water came. God is not tied to second causes. They that sincerely seek for the dew of God's grace, shall have it, and by it be made more than conquerors.

Read Matthew Henry on 2 Kings 3 →

Cross-references

12

People & places

JehoshaphatJudahElisha

Topics

Reproof

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.