2 Kings 3:20
in 2 Kings 3The next morning, at the time of the morning sacrifice, water suddenly flowed from the direction of Edom and filled the land.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it came to pass in the morning, about the time of offering the oblation, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.
KJV
And it came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was offered, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.
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This verse in 2 Kings 3
Commentary
7 notes on this verseWhen the meat-offering was offered - This was the first of all offerings, and was generally made at sun-rising. There came water - This supply was altogether miraculous, for there was neither wind nor rain, nor any other natural means by which it could be supplied.
This site's exposition
You shall cut down every good tree
on 2 Kings 3:19-20
The order to “cut down every good tree” stands beside Deuteronomy 20:19-20, which forbids cutting down an enemy's fruit trees in a siege. Deuteronomy governs a siege of land Israel will settle, and this campaign ends at verse 27 with Israel going home.
This site's exposition
at the time of the morning sacrifice
Adam Clarke placed this offering at sunrise. It was the first sacrifice of the day, and John Wesley held that the prayers of God's people rose with it, Elisha's among them.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
The meal-offering - That is, the morning sacrifice: which doubtless was attended with the solemn prayers of God's people. At this time Elisha joined his prayers with the prayers of God's people, especially those at Jerusalem.
We now cannot pitch upon any hour more acceptable than another, because our high priest is always appearing for us, to present and plead his sacrifice. That time God chose for the hour of mercy to put an honour upon the daily sacrifice, which had been despised. God answered Daniel's prayer just at the time of the evening sacrifice ( Dan. ix.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And it came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was offered,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
When the meat offering was offered - i. e. about sunrise, when the morning sacrifice was offered. Compare 1Ki 18:29. There came water by the way of Edom - The Wady-el-Ahsy drains a considerable portion of northern Edom. Heavy rain had fallen during the night in some part of this tract, and with the morning a freshet of water came down the valley, filling the pits.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְהִ֤י | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| בַבֹּ֙קֶר֙ | vaboker | in the morning | H1242 → | 214 times |
| כַּעֲל֣וֹת | kaalot | when went up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| הַמִּנְחָ֔ה | haminchah | the offering | H4503 → | 211 times |
| וְהִנֵּה־ | vehineh- | and there! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| מַ֥יִם | mayim | waters | H4325 → | 581 times |
| בָּאִ֖ים | baim | [were] coming | H935 → | 2568 times |
| מִדֶּ֣רֶךְ | miderekh | from [the] direction of | H1870 → | 707 times |
| אֱד֑וֹם | ʾedom | Edom | H123 → | 99 times |
| וַתִּמָּלֵ֥א | vatimale' | and it was filled | H4390 → | 249 times |
| הָאָ֖רֶץ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַמָּֽיִם׃ | hamayim | the waters | H4325 → | 581 times |
וַיְהִ֤יand it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
בַבֹּ֙קֶר֙in the morning
vabokerH1242 →214 times
כַּעֲל֣וֹתwhen went up
kaalotH5927 →890 times
הַמִּנְחָ֔הthe offering
haminchahH4503 →211 times
וְהִנֵּה־and there!
vehineh-H2009 →843 times
מַ֥יִםwaters
mayimH4325 →581 times
בָּאִ֖ים[were] coming
baimH935 →2568 times
מִדֶּ֣רֶךְfrom [the] direction of
miderekhH1870 →707 times
אֱד֑וֹםEdom
ʾedomH123 →99 times
וַתִּמָּלֵ֥אand it was filled
vatimale'H4390 →249 times
הָאָ֖רֶץthe land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַמָּֽיִם׃the waters
hamayimH4325 →581 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
1 Kings 18:36At the time of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet approached the altar and said, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in…
it leads to
- 1 Kings 18:29
Midday passed, and they kept on raving until the time of the evening sacrifice. But there was no response; no one answered, no one paid attention.
- 2 Kings 19:19
And now, O LORD our God, please save us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, O LORD, are God.”
- Exodus 3:6
Then He said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to…
- 1 Kings 8:43
then may You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You. Then all the peoples of the earth will know Your name and fear…
- Matthew 22:32
‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”
- 1 Kings 18:29
Through
Psalms 78:20When He struck the rock, water gushed out and torrents raged. But can He also give bread or supply His people with meat?”
it leads to
- Numbers 20:11
Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, so that a great amount of water gushed out, and the congregation and their livestock were able to drink.
- Numbers 11:21–23
But Moses replied, “Here I am among 600,000 men on foot, yet You say, ‘I will give them meat, and they will eat for a month.’
- Numbers 11:18
And say to the people: Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you will eat meat, because you have cried out in the hearing of the LORD, saying: ‘Who will feed us meat? For we were…
- Numbers 20:11
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; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.