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VBVMI StaffCan you explain 2 Kings 3:27? I know that there's only one God, and that he never loses, but this verse is a bit confusing. Why did Isreal experience great indignation, and where did it come from?
In 2 Kings 3, the kings of Israel, Judah and Edom unite to fight the Moabites. The Lord promotes the king of Judah through His prophet, Elisha, that these kings would see victory against the Moabites. The Lord sustains the armies in the desert by a supernatural provision of water to sustain the men and prove His willingness to bring victory. He also used the water to trick the Moabites into attacking.
In the battle, the armies of Israel, Judah and Edom successfully destroy the Moabite army:
As the Moabite king witnesses the end of his army, he makes an appeal to his pagan gods by sacrificing the most important thing he possessed: the heir to his throne. The text says the sacrifice took place on the wall that surrounded the Moabite king’s stronghold, which means it was done in full view of Israel’s troops.
The “great wrath” of v.27 that came against Israel was the wrath of the Moabite king, which was evidenced by his sacrifice of his own son. As a result of witnessing such a heinous act, Israel’s army decided they could not stand the wrath of the Moabite king. They had succeeded in putting down the Moabite rebellion and therefore decided it was not necessary to defeat the king in his city. Instead, they abandoned the fight and returned home.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org