The Meaning of 2 Kings 3:15 Explained

2 Kings 3:15

KJV: But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.

YLT: and now, bring to me a minstrel; and it hath been, at the playing of the minstrel, that the hand of Jehovah is on him,

Darby: And now fetch me a minstrel. And it came to pass when the minstrel played, that the hand of Jehovah was upon him.

ASV: But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of Jehovah came upon him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But now bring  me a minstrel.  And it came to pass, when the minstrel  played,  that the hand  of the LORD  came upon him. 

What does 2 Kings 3:15 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 3:13-27 - Mesha's Defeat And Desperate Sacrifice
Jehoshaphat, though erring, was still God's child, and deliverance came to him. The heights of our senseless folly and the depths of our waywardness will not succeed in severing us from God's love. Elisha used the very words of Elijah, 2 Kings 3:14 and 1 Kings 17:1. Notice how men of different mold and mission, the Elijahs and the Elishas, derive their inspiration and strength in the same way. As a great Christian general put it, "Every morning I stand at attention before my Maker." Note the effect of music in soothing the soul! 2 Kings 3:15.
In all God's gifts there is need for our cooperation. He alone can send the water, but we must trench the ground. Our expectant faith creates the capacity to receive God's gifts; but when we have gone to our limit and the valley is filled with ditches, He is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond. The answer came at the hour of morning prayer, and probably at the prophet's intercession, 1 Kings 8:44. God's answers are often too deep and inward to give outward sign. There is sound of neither wind nor rain; but our prayers are answered to the full. Many of the points in this narrative-notably 2 Kings 3:27 -have been corroborated by the recent explorations in Moab. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Kings 3

1  Jehoram's reign
4  Mesha rebels
6  Jehoram, with Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom, being distressed for want of water,
13  by Elisha obtains water, and promise of victory
21  The Moabites, deceived by the colour of the water, coming to spoil, are overcome
26  The king of Moab sacrifices his son, and raises the siege

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 3:15 mean?

But now bring me a musician And it came to pass when played the musician that came upon him the hand of Yahweh
וְעַתָּ֖ה קְחוּ־ לִ֣י מְנַגֵּ֑ן וְהָיָה֙ כְּנַגֵּ֣ן הַֽמְנַגֵּ֔ן וַתְּהִ֥י עָלָ֖יו יַד־ יְהוָֽה

וְעַתָּ֖ה  But  now 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
קְחוּ־  bring 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
לִ֣י  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
מְנַגֵּ֑ן  a  musician 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָגַן  
Sense: to play or strike strings, play a stringed instrument.
וְהָיָה֙  And  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כְּנַגֵּ֣ן  when  played 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: נָגַן  
Sense: to play or strike strings, play a stringed instrument.
הַֽמְנַגֵּ֔ן  the  musician 
Parse: Article, Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָגַן  
Sense: to play or strike strings, play a stringed instrument.
וַתְּהִ֥י  that  came 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
עָלָ֖יו  upon  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
יַד־  the  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
יְהוָֽה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.