And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.
And they said, 'This is blood! The kings have definitely been killed, and they have attacked each other. Now then, Moab, let's go take their treasure!'
The Moabites mistakenly thought the allied armies had destroyed each other in battle and rushed to collect the spoils, not realizing it was a trap.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative of 2 Kings 3, the kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom had allied to wage war against Moab after the Moabites rebelled against Israelite rule. As part of God's miraculous provision, water filled the trenches dug by the Israelites, but the Moabites mistook this water for blood in the early morning light, assuming it came from a fierce battle among the allied kings. This misunderstanding led the Moabites to believe the kings had destroyed each other, making them rush confidently to plunder the camp.
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