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2 Kings 3:20

in 2 Kings 3

The 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

6 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

When 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

shall fell every good tree

on 2 Kings 3:19-20

The instruction to fell every good tree sits beside Deut 20:19-20, which forbids destroying an enemy's fruit trees in siege. The two are commonly read as different cases rather than a contradiction: Deuteronomy governs a war of conquest meant to end in settling the land, while this campaign against Moab has no plan to occupy it, only to break its power. The water arrives the next morning at the hour of the meat offering, with neither wind nor rain to account for it, timed to Israel's own act of worship rather than to weather.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

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.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

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

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 words

Every 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.

  • 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.

Related verses

7 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Exodus 29:39–40Offer one lamb in the morning and the other at twilight.5 worksIsaiah 35:6–7Then the lame will leap like a deer and the mute tongue will shout for joy. For waters will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.2 works1 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 Israel and that I am Your servant and have done all these things at Your command.2 worksPsalms 78:15–16He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink as abundant as the seas.2 worksPsalms 78:20When He struck the rock, water gushed out and torrents raged. But can He also give bread or supply His people with meat?”2 worksDaniel 9:21while I was still praying, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice.2 works
The other 1 cross-references, with their words ▾
2 Kings 16:15Then King Ahaz commanded Uriah the priest, “Offer on the great altar the morning burnt offering, the evening grain offering, and the king’s burnt offering and grain offering, as well as the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings of all the people of the land. Sprinkle on the altar all the blood of the burnt offerings and sacrifices. But I will use the bronze altar to seek guidance.”2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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 18:36

    At 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.”

  • Through

    Psalms 78:20

    When 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…

Where this verse is studied

About 2 Kings

Elijah Ascends to Heaven in a Chariot of Fire, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Elijah Ascends to Heaven in a Chariot of Fire, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
2 Kings: the study guide →Read 2 Kings 3 →

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.

Read on in 2 Kings 3 →