2 Kings 3:14

12 And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the LORD is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

13 And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.

And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.

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

16 And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Then Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not for my regard for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you or acknowledge you.
KJV
And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.
WEB
Elisha said, “As the LORD of Armies lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I respect the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward you, nor see you.
ASV
And Elisha said, As Jehovah of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.
DARBY
And Elisha said, As Jehovah of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee nor see thee.
BLB
And Elisha said, “[As] YHWH of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely unless I am lifting up the face of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you or see you.
ÅB
Da sa Elisa: Så sant Herren, hærskarenes Gud, lever, han hvis tjener jeg er: Var det ikke for Judas konge Josjafats skyld, så ville jeg ikke ense deg eller se på deg.
OTB
Elisja sa, "Så sant Herren, hærskarenes Gud, lever, som jeg tjener, hvis jeg ikke hadde respekt for Josjafat, kongen av Juda, ville jeg ikke se på deg eller legge merke til deg.
B1930
Da sa Elisa: Så sant Herren, hærskarenes Gud, lever, han hvis tjener jeg er: Var det ikke for Judas konge Josafats skyld, så vilde jeg ikke ense dig eller se på dig.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • 2 Kings 5:16

    But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.

    Read in context
  • 1 Kings 17:1

    And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

    Read in context
  • Jeremiah 1:18

    For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.

    Read in context
  • 2 Chronicles 19:3–4

    Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God.

    Read in context
  • 1 Kings 14:5–18

    And the LORD said unto Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to ask a thing of thee for her son; for he is sick: thus and thus shalt thou say unto her: for it shall be, when she cometh in, that she shall feign herself to be another woman.

    Read in context
  • 2 Chronicles 17:3–9

    And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim;

    Read in context
  • 1 Samuel 15:26–31

    And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.

    Read in context
  • 1 Kings 21:20

    And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.

    Read in context