Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 3:22

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:

22. they rose up early in the morning ] When the rays of the sun would be shining obliquely on the water, and would cause it to have an unusual colour.

the water on the other side ] R.V. over against them. See above on 2Ki 2:7

as red as blood ] This would be partly due to the slanting rays of the sun, and partly perhaps to the redness of the land through which the water had flowed. It was impossible for the Moabites to think what they saw to be water, for no signs of rain had been observable.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Verse 22. Saw the water on the other side as red as blood] This might have been an optical deception; I have seen the like sight when there was no reason to suspect supernatural agency. The Moabites had never seen that valley full of water, and therefore did not suspect that their eyes deceived them, but took it for the blood of the confederate hosts, who they thought might have fallen into confusion in the darkness of night and destroyed each other, as the Midianites had formerly done, Jdg 7:22, and the Philistines lately, 1Sa 14:20.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Because of the morning sun, which meeting with the vapours that arose from the earth, and shining through them upon the water, gave it a reddish tincture. God also so ordered things, that their senses and fancies were disturbed, or the air so disposed, that it might seem of this colour. And they might more easily mistake this for blood, because they knew that that ground was generally dry, and without any trenches or streams of water, now especially in this dry season, there being no noise of wind and rain, 2Ki 3:17. And they might justly think that the three kings being divided in their religion and interests, and discontented for want of water, might fall into dissensions, and heats, and mutual slaughters, of which they had a late example, 2Ch 20:22,23.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

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.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(22) They rose up early.The Moabite camp on the frontier mountains.

And the sun shone upon the water.A parenthesis (now the sun had risen upon the water). The red sunrise tinged the water with the same colour.

On the other side.Min-nged, opposite, over against them (2Ki. 2:7; 2Ki. 2:15). The sun rose behind the Moabites.

Red.Adm. There may be an allusion to the red earth of the locality (Edom), which would further redden the water.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

22. Saw the water red as blood “As the suddenly appearing mass of waters was effected in a natural way by a violent rain in the distance, so also the illusion, that was so fatal to the Moabites, is explained in a natural way, indicated even in the text. From the red earth of the pits the water collected in them had assumed a reddish colour, which was considerably increased by the rays of the rising sun falling upon it, so that, seen from the distance, it must have appeared like blood. But the Moabites might be the less disposed to think of an optical illusion, as by their familiar acquaintance with the region they knew that the wady had at that time no water, and they had seen or learned nothing of the rain which had fallen far from them in the Edomite mountains.” Keil.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments