2 Kings 3 · Verse 9

2 Kings 3:9

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.
2 Kings 3:9, King James Version

2 Kings 3:9 in other translations

BSBSo 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.
WEBSo the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom, and they marched for seven days along a circuitous route. There was no water for the army or for the animals that followed them.
ASVSo 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.
YLTAnd the king of Israel goeth, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom, and they turn round the way seven days, and there hath been no water for the camp, and for the cattle that are at their feet,
DARBYAnd 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 army, and for the cattle that followed them.
BBESo the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom by a roundabout way for seven days: and there was no water for the army or for the beasts they had with them.
WebsterSo 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 army, and for the cattle that followed them.

What does 2 Kings 3:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Kings 3:8-12

8-12. Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom--This was a long and circuitous route, by the southern bend of the Dead Sea. Jehoshaphat however preferred it, partly because the part of the Moabite territory at which they would arrive, was the most defenseless; and partly because he would thereby enlist, in the expedition, the forces of the king of Edom. But, in penetrating…

Read the full comment on 2 Kings 3:8-12 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 9 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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Kings 3:6-19

The king of Israel laments their distress, and the danger they were in. He called these kings together, yet he charges it upon Providence. Thus the foolishness of man perverteth his way, and then his heart fretteth against the Lord, Pr 19:3. It was well that Jehoshaphat inquired of the Lord now, but it had been much better if he had done it before he engaged in this war. Good men sometimes neglect their duty, till…

Read the full comment on 2 Kings 3:6-19 →

2 Kings 3:9 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֵּלֶךְ֩vai.ye.leKhand he wentH1980
מֶ֨לֶךְMe.lekh[the] king ofH4428
יִשְׂרָאֵ֤לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
וּמֶֽלֶך\־u.Me.lekh-and [the] king ofH4428
יְהוּדָה֙ye.hu.DahJudahH3063
וּמֶ֣לֶךְu.Me.lekhand [the] king ofH4428
אֱד֔וֹם'e.DomEdomH123
וַיָּסֹ֕בּוּvai.ya.So.buand they went aroundH5437
דֶּ֖רֶךְDe.rekha journey ofH1870
שִׁבְעַ֣תshiv.'AtsevenH7651
יָמִ֑יםya.MimdaysH3117
וְלֹא\־ve.lo'-and notH3808
הָיָ֨הha.Yahit belongedH1961
מַ֧יִםMa.yimwaterH4325
לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֛הla.ma.cha.Nehto the armyH4264
וְלַבְּהֵמָ֖הve.la.be.he.Mahand to the animal[s]H929
אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherwhichH834
בְּרַגְלֵיהֶֽם\׃be.rag.lei.Hem[was] at feet theirH7272

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Kings 3:9

  • 1 Kings 22:47

    There was then no king in Edom: a deputy was king.

  • Exodus 17:1

    And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the Lord, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.

  • Numbers 20:2

    And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.

  • Numbers 33:14

    And they removed from Alush, and encamped at Rephidim, where was no water for the people to drink.

  • 1 Kings 22:27

    And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.

  • Numbers 20:4

    And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?

  • Numbers 21:5

    And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.

  • Exodus 15:22

    So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.

  • Judges 4:10

    And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him.

  • Exodus 11:8

    And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Edom.
1Ki 22:27
no water.
Ex 15:22; 17:1; Nu 20:2,4; 21:5; 33:14
that followed them. Heb. at their feet.
Ex 11:8; *marg:
Jud 4:10

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Kings 3:8

    And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom.

  • 2 Kings 3:9

    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.

  • 2 Kings 3:10

    And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the Lord hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!

Read all of 2 Kings 3

2 Kings 3:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Partieron pues el rey de Israel, y el rey de Judá, y el rey de Idumea; y como anduvieron rodeando por el desierto siete días de camino, faltóles el agua para el ejército, y para las bestias que los seguían.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et le roi d’Israël, et le roi de Juda, et le roi d’Édom, partirent; et ils firent un circuit de sept jours de chemin. Et il n’y avait pas d’eau pour l’armée et pour le bétail qui les suivaient.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und so zogen der König von Israel und der König von Juda und der König von Edom hin; und sie machten einen Umweg von sieben Tagereisen, und es war kein Wasser da für das Heer und für das Vieh, das ihnen folgte.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Perrexerunt igitur rex Israël, et rex Juda, et rex Edom, et circuierunt per viam septem dierum, nec erat aqua exercitui et jumentis quæ sequebantur eos.