Their alliance nearly came to ruin for the lack of life-sustaining water.
“So the king of Israel went with 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 or for the cattle that followed them.” (v.9)
In this scene, the biblical writers describe how three distinct monarchs—the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom—join forces to march into battle against Moab. The king of Israel at this time was Joram (852-841 BC), a son of Ahab, while the king of Judah was Jehoshaphat (873-848 BC). Accompanying them is the leader of Edom, who is allied with Judah and Israel for this campaign. Although Edom usually lived in fierce opposition toward Israel, they occasionally banded together when it served mutual interests. Their route took them through a harsh, dry terrain south of the Dead Sea, making it difficult to secure the water they needed. Here, the scripture says they “made a circuit of seven days’ journey,” yet found no water source for their soldiers or for the livestock they had brought along.
This physical crisis underscores how precarious a military expedition could become when traveling through desert regions. The absence of water threatened their entire objective, posing risks to morale, the health of their forces, and the success of the mission. In ancient times, water was a precious commodity. Both their men and beasts of burden depended on reliable springs or rivers, yet these kings took a gambit and ended up on the brink of disaster. It appears that they made the strategic decision to travel a roundabout route, likely to avoid enemy detection or possible ambushes, but such a choice came with the hazard of dwindling resources.
Importantly, Edom’s involvement illustrates one of the rare moments when Edom cooperated with Israel and Judah. Historically, Edom often opposed Israel (Numbers 20:14-21). Still, now and then, circumstances aligned them toward a common goal (2 Kings 3:9). Their alliance on this occasion reveals both the political complexities of the era and God’s overarching plans, which would soon unfold through the prophet Elisha’s miraculous role in providing water (v.16-20).
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2 Kings 3:9 meaning
“So the king of Israel went with 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 or for the cattle that followed them.” (v.9)
In this scene, the biblical writers describe how three distinct monarchs—the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom—join forces to march into battle against Moab. The king of Israel at this time was Joram (852-841 BC), a son of Ahab, while the king of Judah was Jehoshaphat (873-848 BC). Accompanying them is the leader of Edom, who is allied with Judah and Israel for this campaign. Although Edom usually lived in fierce opposition toward Israel, they occasionally banded together when it served mutual interests. Their route took them through a harsh, dry terrain south of the Dead Sea, making it difficult to secure the water they needed. Here, the scripture says they “made a circuit of seven days’ journey,” yet found no water source for their soldiers or for the livestock they had brought along.
This physical crisis underscores how precarious a military expedition could become when traveling through desert regions. The absence of water threatened their entire objective, posing risks to morale, the health of their forces, and the success of the mission. In ancient times, water was a precious commodity. Both their men and beasts of burden depended on reliable springs or rivers, yet these kings took a gambit and ended up on the brink of disaster. It appears that they made the strategic decision to travel a roundabout route, likely to avoid enemy detection or possible ambushes, but such a choice came with the hazard of dwindling resources.
Importantly, Edom’s involvement illustrates one of the rare moments when Edom cooperated with Israel and Judah. Historically, Edom often opposed Israel (Numbers 20:14-21). Still, now and then, circumstances aligned them toward a common goal (2 Kings 3:9). Their alliance on this occasion reveals both the political complexities of the era and God’s overarching plans, which would soon unfold through the prophet Elisha’s miraculous role in providing water (v.16-20).