The Meaning of 2 Kings 3:9 Explained

2 Kings 3:9

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.

YLT: And 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,

Darby: And 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.

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 Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 2 Kings 3:9 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 3:1-12 - An Unwise Alliance
Jehoram's reign over the ten tribes was marked by some measures of reform. He discountenanced Baal worship; though, in defiance of the Second Commandment, he clave to Jeroboam's calves. Therefore Jehoshaphat was ill-advised to enter into alliance with him. The servant of Jehovah had no right to say to such a man, "I am as thou art," etc. He had said this before, and narrowly escaped with his life. It was very bad, therefore, to repeat a policy which was already discredited. See 1 Kings 22:4.
How often we rush into alliances and undertake engagements without prayer for guidance, and begin to seek God only when faced with disappointment! In the day of sore trouble, when it seemed likely that kings and troops would perish in the waterless desert, Judah sought divine help. But it was foolish and wrong to charge the Lord with their disasters, as in 2 Kings 3:10. When the curtains of the night are drawn, sailors steer by the stars; and often it is the pressure of dark trials that drives men to seek the advice and help of the servants of God. They know where to find such helpers, when they want them, though in their prosperity they ignore and deride. He who is willing to pour water, as a servant, will not be inflated with pride when three kings visit him. [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 3:9 mean?

So went with the king of Israel and the king of Judah and the king of Edom and they marched on that roundabout route seven days and no there was water for the army nor for the animals that followed them
וַיֵּלֶךְ֩ מֶ֨לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל וּמֶֽלֶך־ יְהוּדָה֙‪‬ וּמֶ֣לֶךְ אֱד֔וֹם וַיָּסֹ֕בּוּ דֶּ֖רֶךְ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים וְלֹא־ הָיָ֨ה מַ֧יִם לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֛ה וְלַבְּהֵמָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּרַגְלֵיהֶֽם

וַיֵּלֶךְ֩  So  went  with 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
מֶ֨לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וּמֶֽלֶך־  and  the  king 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
יְהוּדָה֙‪‬  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
וּמֶ֣לֶךְ  and  the  king 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אֱד֔וֹם  of  Edom 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱדֹום 
Sense: Edom.
וַיָּסֹ֕בּוּ  and  they  marched  on  that  roundabout 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: סָבַב  
Sense: to turn, turn about or around or aside or back or towards, go about or arou nd, surround, encircle, change direction.
דֶּ֖רֶךְ  route 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
שִׁבְעַ֣ת  seven 
Parse: Number, masculine singular construct
Root: שֶׁבַע  
Sense: seven (cardinal number).
יָמִ֑ים  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
וְלֹא־  and  no 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
הָיָ֨ה  there  was 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
מַ֧יִם  water 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֛ה  for  the  army 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: מַחֲנֶה  
Sense: encampment, camp.
וְלַבְּהֵמָ֖ה  nor  for  the  animals 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּהֵמָה  
Sense: beast, cattle, animal.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
בְּרַגְלֵיהֶֽם  followed  them 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, fdc, third person masculine plural
Root: רֶגֶל  
Sense: foot.