The Meaning of 2 Kings 3:20 Explained

2 Kings 3:20

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.

YLT: And it cometh to pass in the morning, at the ascending of the morning -present, that lo, waters are coming in from the way of Edom, and the land is filled with the waters,

Darby: And it came to pass in the morning, when the oblation was offered up, that behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.

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 Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 2 Kings 3:20 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 3:13-27 - Mesha's Defeat And Desperate Sacrifice
Jehoshaphat, though erring, was still God's child, and deliverance came to him. The heights of our senseless folly and the depths of our waywardness will not succeed in severing us from God's love. Elisha used the very words of Elijah, 2 Kings 3:14 and 1 Kings 17:1. Notice how men of different mold and mission, the Elijahs and the Elishas, derive their inspiration and strength in the same way. As a great Christian general put it, "Every morning I stand at attention before my Maker." Note the effect of music in soothing the soul! 2 Kings 3:15.
In all God's gifts there is need for our cooperation. He alone can send the water, but we must trench the ground. Our expectant faith creates the capacity to receive God's gifts; but when we have gone to our limit and the valley is filled with ditches, He is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond. The answer came at the hour of morning prayer, and probably at the prophet's intercession, 1 Kings 8:44. God's answers are often too deep and inward to give outward sign. There is sound of neither wind nor rain; but our prayers are answered to the full. Many of the points in this narrative-notably 2 Kings 3:27 -have been corroborated by the recent explorations in Moab. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Kings 3

1  Jehoram's reign
4  Mesha rebels
6  Jehoram, with Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom, being distressed for want of water,
13  by Elisha obtains water, and promise of victory
21  The Moabites, deceived by the colour of the water, coming to spoil, are overcome
26  The king of Moab sacrifices his son, and raises the siege

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 3:20 mean?

And it came to pass in the morning when was offered the grain offering that suddenly water came by way of Edom and was filled the land with water
וַיְהִ֤י בַבֹּ֙קֶר֙ כַּעֲל֣וֹת הַמִּנְחָ֔ה וְהִנֵּה־ מַ֥יִם בָּאִ֖ים מִדֶּ֣רֶךְ אֱד֑וֹם וַתִּמָּלֵ֥א הָאָ֖רֶץ אֶת־ הַמָּֽיִם

וַיְהִ֤י  And  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בַבֹּ֙קֶר֙  in  the  morning 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֹּקֶר 
Sense: morning, break of day.
כַּעֲל֣וֹת  when  was  offered 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
הַמִּנְחָ֔ה  the  grain  offering 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִנְחָה  
Sense: gift, tribute, offering, present, oblation, sacrifice, meat offering.
וְהִנֵּה־  that  suddenly 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
מַ֥יִם  water 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
בָּאִ֖ים  came 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
מִדֶּ֣רֶךְ  by  way 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, common singular construct
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
אֱד֑וֹם  of  Edom 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱדֹום 
Sense: Edom.
וַתִּמָּלֵ֥א  and  was  filled 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: מָלֵא 
Sense: to fill, be full.
הָאָ֖רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
הַמָּֽיִם  water 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.