The Meaning of 2 Kings 3:16 Explained

2 Kings 3:16

KJV: And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches.

YLT: and he saith, 'Thus said Jehovah, Make this valley ditches -- ditches;

Darby: And he said, Thus saith Jehovah: Make this valley full of ditches.

ASV: And he said, Thus saith Jehovah, Make this valley full of trenches.

Discover 2 Kings 3:16

CONTEXT: What is the Context of 2 Kings 3:16?

MEANING: What does 2 Kings 3:16 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in 2 Kings 3:16 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in 2 Kings 3:16?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he said,  Thus saith  the LORD,  Make  this valley  full of ditches. 

What does 2 Kings 3:16 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 3:16 mean?

And he said thus says Yahweh Make valley this full full of ditches
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה עָשֹׂ֛ה הַנַּ֥חַל הַזֶּ֖ה גֵּבִ֥ים ׀ גֵּבִֽים

וַיֹּ֕אמֶר  And  he  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
כֹּ֖ה  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֣ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֑ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
עָשֹׂ֛ה  Make 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
הַנַּ֥חַל  valley 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נַחַל 
Sense: torrent, valley, wadi, torrent-valley.
הַזֶּ֖ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
גֵּבִ֥ים ׀  full 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֵּב 
Sense: pit, trench, ditch, beam, rafter.
גֵּבִֽים  full  of  ditches 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֵּב 
Sense: pit, trench, ditch, beam, rafter.

What are the major concepts related to 2 Kings 3:16?

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Similar Scriptures for 2 Kings 3:16

2 Kings 4:3 [2]
Numbers 2:16-18 [1]