2 Kings 3:12
in 2 Kings 3Jehoshaphat affirmed, “The word of the LORD is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Jehoshaphat said, The word of Jehovah is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
KJV
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.
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This verse in 2 Kings 3
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
They were disappointed by finding the wady of this valley, the brook Zered (De 2:13-18) [ROBINSON], dry. But the pious mind of Jehoshaphat inquired for a prophet of the Lord; and, on being informed that Elisha was at hand, the three kings "went down to him"; that is, to his tent, which was either in the camp, or close by it.
This site's exposition
Is there no prophet of the LORD here
on 2 Kings 3:11-12
Jehoshaphat asks, “Is there no prophet of the LORD here?”, as he asked at 1 Kings 22:7. A servant names Elisha by a small credential, “He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah”. That service began when Elijah threw his cloak over him at 1 Kings 19:19-21.
This site's exposition
The word of the LORD
Jehoshaphat's words name Elisha a true prophet, and John Wesley thought the king's reputation for godliness meant many had told him of Elisha. The three kings went down in person to Elisha's tent, in the camp or near it. Wesley saw the honour as a bid for his full help.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
After the death of Ahab, his son Ahaziah died too, and since he had no children, his brother Jehoram took his place. Therefore the Scripture reports that he moved with his army against the king of Moab. He went to war because Mesha, king of …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
The word, &c. - He is a true prophet. Which Jehoshaphat might easily understand, because being a good man, many would be ready to inform him of. Went - To his tent; which was either in the camp, or not far from it: they did not send for him, but went to him, that by giving him this honour, they might engage him to give them his utmost assistance.
He that humbled himself was thus exalted, and looked great, when three kings came to knock at his door, and beg his assistance; see Rev. iii. The entertainment which Elisha gave them. He was very plain with the wicked king of Israel (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And Jehoshaphat said, the word of the Lord is with him,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The word of the Lord is with him - He has the gift of prophecy.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Who poured water on the hands of Eliyahu. On Mount Carmel, 7 See I Melochim:34 and Rashi there.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Do not [say that], for Adonoy has called, etc. [Targum Yonoson renders,] “Please [אל] 10 Alternatively, Gא means “do not,” i.e., “do not tell us these things now, etc.”—Radak do not mention the sins of that wicked woman. Beg mercy for us, for Adonoy has summoned, etc.”
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יְה֣וֹשָׁפָ֔ט | yehooshafat | Jehoshaphat | H3092 → | 84 times |
| יֵ֥שׁ | yesh | there | H3426 → | 140 times |
| אוֹת֖וֹ | ʾoto | <obj.> him | H853 → | 10935 times |
| דְּבַר־ | devar- | [is] [the] word of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| יְהוָ֑ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וַיֵּרְד֣וּ | vaiyeredu | and they went down | H3381 → | 381 times |
| אֵלָ֗יו | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
| מֶ֧לֶךְ | melekh | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וִיהוֹשָׁפָ֖ט | vihoshafat | and Jehoshaphat | H3092 → | 84 times |
| וּמֶ֥לֶךְ | umelekh | and [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| אֱדֽוֹם׃ | ʾedom | Edom | H123 → | 99 times |
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙and he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
יְה֣וֹשָׁפָ֔טJehoshaphat
yehooshafatH3092 →84 times
יֵ֥שׁthere
yeshH3426 →140 times
אוֹת֖וֹ<obj.> him
ʾotoH853 →10935 times
דְּבַר־[is] [the] word of
devar-H1697 →1440 times
יְהוָ֑הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וַיֵּרְד֣וּand they went down
vaiyereduH3381 →381 times
אֵלָ֗יוto him
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
מֶ֧לֶךְ[the] king of
melekhH4428 →2525 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֛לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וִיהוֹשָׁפָ֖טand Jehoshaphat
vihoshafatH3092 →84 times
וּמֶ֥לֶךְand [the] king of
umelekhH4428 →2525 times
אֱדֽוֹם׃Edom
ʾedomH123 →99 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 60:14The sons of your oppressors will come and bow down to you; all who reviled you will fall facedown at your feet and call you the City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy…
it leads to
- Isaiah 49:23
Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow to you facedown and lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD;…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 45:14
This is what the LORD says: “The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, along with the Sabeans, men of stature, will come over to you and will be yours; they will trudge…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Revelation 3:9
Look at those who belong to the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews but are liars instead. I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and they will know…
- Hebrews 12:22
Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to myriads of angels
- Isaiah 1:26
I will restore your judges as at first, and your counselors as at the beginning. After that you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.”
- Isaiah 49:23
Through
Revelation 3:9Look at those who belong to the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews but are liars instead. I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and they will know…
it leads to
- Isaiah 60:14
The sons of your oppressors will come and bow down to you; all who reviled you will fall facedown at your feet and call you the City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy…
- Revelation 2:9
I know your affliction and your poverty—though you are rich! And I am aware of the slander of those who falsely claim to be Jews, but are in fact a synagogue of Satan.
- Isaiah 60:14
Through
2 Kings 2:21and Elisha went out to the spring, cast the salt into it, and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘I have healed this water. No longer will it cause death or unfruitfulness.’”
it leads to
- Exodus 15:25–26
And Moses cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a log. And when he cast it into the waters, they were sweetened. There the LORD made for them a statute and…
- Exodus 15:25–26
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 2 Kings
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ephrem the Syrian, ON THE SECOND BOOK OF KINGS 3:9; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil, The Books of the Kings and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.