Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 3:24
And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward smiting the Moabites, even in [their] country.
24. the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites ] The hasty and irregular manner in which the Moabites rushed forward, with no thought but of an easy booty, gave the Israelites an opportunity which otherwise they would not have had. Before their assailants could gather themselves for resistance they were able to put them to a confused flight. And the discovery of their mistake would paralyse the Moabites and make victory certain for Israel and their allies.
but they went forward smiting the Moabites, even in their country ] R.V. they went forward into the land smiting the Moabites. The Hebrew text presents some difficulty here. The word which R.V. has represented by ‘into the land’ is literally ‘into it’. But as Moab (translated Moabites) has been mentioned in the previous clause the pronoun may fairly be referred to it. The verb ‘they went forward’ is not of the usual form and for = the marginal reading of the Massoretic text suggests = they smote, and this the margin of A.V. translates, ‘and they smote in it, even smiting’. But the suggestion seems unnecessary. The LXX. read for they give , apparently having taken the preposition and pronoun for the verb .
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
They pursued them to their own country, and entered it with and after them; the passes, which before the Moabites defended, being now open for them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And when they came to the camp of Israel,…. Not in an orderly regular manner, in rank and file, as an army should march, but in a confused manner, everyone striving who should get thither first, and have the largest share of the booty:
the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them; being prepared for them, they fell upon them sword in hand, and soon obliged them to flee:
but they went forward smiting the Moabites, even in their country; they pursued them closely, and slew them as they fled, and followed them not only to their borders, but into their own country: though Schultens m, from the use of the word in the Arabic language, renders the passage, “and they blunted their swords in it (in that slaughter), even by smiting the Moabites”.
m De Defect. Hod. Ling. Heb. sect. 26.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(24) Smote the Moabites.Who were unprepared for resistance.
But they went forward smiting . . . country.The Hebrew text (Kethib) has, and he went (way-yb, spelt defectively, as in 1Ki. 12:12) into it (i.e., the land of Moab), and smote (literally, smiting an infinitive for a finite form) Moab. This is better than the Hebrew margin (Qeri), and they smote it (i.e. Moab), or the reading of some MSS. and the Targum and Syriac, and they smote them, and smote Moab, which is tautologous. The original reading is perhaps represented by that of the LXX., , and they entered the country, destroying as they went on. (In Hebrew the participles would be infinitives.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2Ki 3:24 And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward smiting the Moabites, even in [their] country.
Ver. 24. And when they came to the camp of Israel. ] Ordinibas non servatis et acie non instructa, disranked and disordered. Their misconceit undid them, as it still doth many.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
went forward. Some codices, &c, add “still further”, and connect this with entering. Other codices, with six early printed editions, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, connect these words with the smiting, and read “still further smote”, or “went on smiting”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
smote the: Jos 8:20-22, Jdg 20:40-46, 1Th 5:3, 1Th 5:4
went forward: or, smote in it even
Reciprocal: 1Ki 20:21 – went out 2Ki 13:20 – the Moabites
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ki 3:24. They went forward, smiting the Moabites, even in their country They pursued them to their own country, and entered it with and after them; the passes, which the Moabites had before defended, being now open to them.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
3:24 And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they {p} went forward smiting the Moabites, even in [their] country.
(p) Meaning, they followed them into the towns.