This verse describes the fulfillment of most of the predictions made by Elisha in verse 19 (see the comments there). The exception to complete fulfillment is the survival of the capital city of Kirhareseth (or, Kir Heres), which is eventually also attacked. Kir Heres was located about 18 kilometers (11 miles) east of the Dead Sea and 24 kilometers (15 miles) south of the Arnon River.
They overthrew the cities: The Hebrew verb rendered overthrew is frequently used for tearing down (so New Century Version) or destroying (so Contemporary English Version, New International Version) cities and their walls. Revised English Bible uses the more technical term “razed.”
After the words felled all the good trees, the Septuagint adds “and they harried Moab” (so New English Bible/Revised English Bible). Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, however, gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text, which is followed by most translations.
Till only its stones were left in Kirhareseth: The Hebrew text at this point is unclear. The Masoretic Text, which is given a {B} rating by Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, may be translated literally as “until one had left [only] its stones in Kirhareseth.” The sense may be either (a) there remained nothing more of Kirhareseth than a pile of stones, or (b) Kirhareseth was the only Moabite place left.
The ancient versions reflect different ways of understanding the Hebrew, and some modern translations are based on adjustments to the Hebrew. Some scholars, for example, slightly change the verb and change the word for “its stones” to “only,” so that the text reads “until only Kirhareseth remained” (so Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia). But Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament is probably correct in understanding the sense to be that after all the other cities had been destroyed, only the walls of Kirhareseth remained in place. This interpretation is reflected in the following translations: “leaving only the stones of Kir-haresheth (intact)” (American Bible) and “Only the walls of Kir-hareseth were left” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). The name of this Moabite capital is better known as Kir Heres as indicated in the Good News Translation rendering. It is mentioned in Isa 16.7 and Jer 48.31, 36 and today is called el-Kerak.
The Hebrew noun translated slingers is found only here in the Old Testament. But two cognate words (a noun and a verb) occur more frequently. The related noun serves to describe the instrument used by David to kill the giant, Goliath, in 1 Sam 17. And the verb, meaning “to sling,” is also used in that story as well as in Jdg 20.16 and 1 Sam 25.29. Slingers may be rendered in some languages as “soldiers who threw stones” or “men armed with slings” (New International Version). Archaeological evidence indicates that men who used hand slings formed an attack unit in armies at that time in the ancient Near East.
Conquered: Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Revised English Bible, and American Bible have the verb “attacked.” New Century Version maintains the translation “conquered,” which is an appropriate translation of the Hebrew verb here in some other contexts, such as 1 Kgs 15.20. However, here it literally means “to hit,” so a translation such as “bombarded” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “attacked” fits better here.
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .