2 Kings 3:9
in 2 Kings 3So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom set out, and after they had traveled a roundabout route for seven days, they had no water for their army or for their animals.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom; and they made a circuit of seven days’ journey: and there was no water for the host, nor for the beasts that followed them.
KJV
So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days’ journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them.
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This verse in 2 Kings 3
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Seven days’ journey - The distance of the route probably followed is not much more than 100 miles. But the difficulties of the way are great; and the army might not be able to move along it at a faster rate than about 15 miles a day. No water - The kings had probably expected to find sufficient water for both men and baggage animals in the Wady-el-Ahsy, which divides Edom from Moab, and which has a stream that is now regarded as perennial.
This site's exposition
fetched a compass of seven days’ journey
on 2 Kings 3:9-10
Seven days through the wilderness of Edom leave three armies and their cattle without water, and the crisis exposes the difference between the two kings before Elisha ever speaks. Jehoram's response is fatalism dressed as piety, alas, that the LORD hath called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab, blaming God for a route his own alliance chose. It is the same reflex Ahab showed toward Elijah at 1 Ki 18:17, trouble laid at the prophet's door rather than the king's.
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
King of Edom - That is, the vice-roy under Jehosaphat, 1 Kings xxii, 47, here called king: because that word is sometimes used for any prince or chief ruler. Seven days - Because they made a great army, which could move but slowly; and they fetched a greater compass than was usual, for some advantage which they expected by it.
So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah,....
God suffers his people, by their own improvidence, to bring themselves into distress, that the wisdom, power, and goodness of his providence may be glorified in their relief. What is more cheap and common than water? It is drink to every beast of the field, Ps. civ.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A 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.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A compass of seven days’ journey - By taking a circuitous route, to go round the southern part of the Dead Sea, they probably intended to surprise the Moabites; but it appears their journey was ill planned, as they at last got into a country in which it was impossible to obtain water, and they were brought in consequence to the utmost extremity.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
To hand them over, etc. For they will die of thirst. 6 The three kings will be handed over to Moav because either they will die of thirst, or if they scatter across the countryside in search for water, they will be in an unprotected and vulnerable position.—Radak
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
18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֵּלֶךְ֩ | vaiyelekh | and he went | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| מֶ֨לֶךְ | melekh | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וּמֶֽלֶך־ | umelekh- | and [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| יְהוּדָה֙ | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| וּמֶ֣לֶךְ | umelekh | and [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| אֱד֔וֹם | ʾedom | Edom | H123 → | 99 times |
| וַיָּסֹ֕בּוּ | vaiyasobu | and they went around | H5437 → | 161 times |
| דֶּ֖רֶךְ | derekh | a journey of | H1870 → | 707 times |
| שִׁבְעַ֣ת | shivat | seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| יָמִ֑ים | yamim | days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| וְלֹא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| הָיָ֨ה | hayah | it belonged | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| מַ֧יִם | mayim | water | H4325 → | 581 times |
| לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֛ה | lamachaneh | to the army | H4264 → | 215 times |
| וְלַבְּהֵמָ֖ה | velabehemah | and to the animal[s] | H929 → | |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בְּרַגְלֵיהֶֽם׃ | beragleihem | [was] at feet their | H7272 → | 247 times |
וַיֵּלֶךְ֩and he went
vaiyelekhH1980 →1546 times
מֶ֨לֶךְ[the] king of
melekhH4428 →2525 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֤לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וּמֶֽלֶך־and [the] king of
umelekh-H4428 →2525 times
יְהוּדָה֙Judah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
וּמֶ֣לֶךְand [the] king of
umelekhH4428 →2525 times
אֱד֔וֹםEdom
ʾedomH123 →99 times
וַיָּסֹ֕בּוּand they went around
vaiyasobuH5437 →161 times
דֶּ֖רֶךְa journey of
derekhH1870 →707 times
שִׁבְעַ֣תseven
shivatH7651 →394 times
יָמִ֑יםdays
yamimH3117 →2304 times
וְלֹא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
הָיָ֨הit belonged
hayahH1961 →3559 times
מַ֧יִםwater
mayimH4325 →581 times
לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֛הto the army
lamachanehH4264 →215 times
וְלַבְּהֵמָ֖הand to the animal[s]
velabehemahH929 →
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
בְּרַגְלֵיהֶֽם׃[was] at feet their
beragleihemH7272 →247 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 22:27and tell them that this is what the king says: ‘Put this man in prison and feed him only bread and water until I return safely.’”
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 16:10
Asa was angry with the seer and became so enraged over this matter that he put the man in prison. And at the same time Asa oppressed some of the people.
- 2 Chronicles 18:25–27
And the king of Israel declared, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son,
- 2 Chronicles 16:10
Through
Judges 4:10where he summoned Zebulun and Naphtali. Ten thousand men followed him, and Deborah also went with him.
it leads to
- Judges 5:18
Zebulun was a people who risked their lives; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the battlefield.
- Judges 5:15
The princes of Issachar were with Deborah, and Issachar was with Barak, rushing into the valley at his heels. In the clans of Reuben there was great indecision.
- Judges 5:18
Through
Exodus 15:22Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the Desert of Shur. For three days they walked in the desert without finding water.
it leads to
- Genesis 16:7
Now the angel of the LORD found Hagar by a spring of water in the desert—the spring along the road to Shur.
- Genesis 16:7
Through
1 Kings 22:47And there was no king in Edom; a deputy served as king.
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 8:14
He placed garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites were subject to David. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.
- 2 Kings 8:20
In the days of Jehoram, Edom rebelled against the hand of Judah and appointed their own king.
- 2 Samuel 8:14
Through
Numbers 20:2Now there was no water for the congregation, so they gathered against Moses and Aaron.
it leads to
- Numbers 16:19
When Korah had gathered his whole assembly against them at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the glory of the LORD appeared to the whole congregation.
- Numbers 16:19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 2 Kings

Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonPatriarchsJudahJacob's fourth son who pledges himself for Benjamin; the tribe that carries the scepter to Shiloh (49:10) and the line to Christ (…
- PlaceTransjordanEdomThe highland nation descended from Esau that refused Israel passage on the King's Highway, and whose pride the prophets answered.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; 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 (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
