2 Kings 3:9

Authorized King James Version

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.

Word-by-Word Analysis

וַיֵּלֶךְ֩

H1980

to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)

וּמֶ֣לֶךְ

H4428

So the king

a king

יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל

H3478

of Israel

he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity

וּמֶ֣לֶךְ

H4428

So the king

a king

יְהוּדָה֙

H3063

of Judah

jehudah (or judah), the name of five israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory

וּמֶ֣לֶךְ

H4428

So the king

a king

אֱד֔וֹם

H123

of Edom

edom, the elder twin-brother of jacob; hence the region (idumaea) occupied by him

וַיָּסֹ֕בּוּ

H5437

and they fetched a compass

to revolve, surround, or border; used in various applications, literally and figuratively

דֶּ֖רֶךְ

H1870

journey

a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb

#10

שִׁבְעַ֣ת

H7651

of seven

seven (as the sacred full one); also (adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by extension, an indefinite number

#11

יָמִ֑ים

H3117

days

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso

#12

וְלֹֽא

H3808

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

#13

הָיָ֨ה

H1961

to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

#14

מַ֧יִם

H4325

and there was no water

water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen

#15

לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֛ה

H4264

for the host

an encampment (of travellers or troops); hence, an army, whether literal (of soldiers) or figurative (of dancers, angels, cattle, locusts, stars; or e

#16

וְלַבְּהֵמָ֖ה

H929

and for the cattle

properly, a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often collective)

#17

אֲשֶׁ֥ר

H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

#18

בְּרַגְלֵיהֶֽם׃

H7272

that followed

a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a step; by euphemistically the pudenda

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

This passage must be understood within the political and social structures of the biblical period. The author writes to address believers seeking to understand God's will and purposes, making the emphasis on salvation particularly relevant. Historical documents from this period show cultural practices and social structures that would have been familiar to the original readers, illuminating the verse's original impact.

Questions for Reflection

In what ways does understanding divine revelation in its original context challenge or deepen contemporary Christian thinking about salvation?
How does this passage contribute to our understanding of from physical deliverance in the Old Testament to spiritual redemption in the New, and what implications does this have for Christian discipleship?
In what ways does this verse's emphasis on divine revelation address religious pluralism and questions about the necessity of Christ, and how should the church respond?

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