2-Kings - 3:16



16 He said, "Thus says Yahweh, 'Make this valley full of trenches.'

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of 2-Kings 3:16.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches.
Thus saith the Lord: Make the channel of this torrent full of ditches.
and he saith, 'Thus said Jehovah, Make this valley ditches, ditches;
And he said, The Lord says, I will make this valley full of water-holes.
"Thus says the Lord: Make, in the channel of this torrent, pit after pit.

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

Ditches - Or "pits" Jeremiah 14:3. They were to dig pits in the broad valley or wady, wherein the water might remain, instead of flowing off down the torrent course.

Make this valley full of ditches - The word נחל nachal may be translated brook, as it is by the Vulgate and Septuagint. There probably was a river here, but it was now dry; and the prophet desires that they would enlarge the channel, and cut out various canals from it, and reservoirs, where water might be collected for the refreshment of the army and of the cattle; and these were to be made so wide that the reflection of the sun's rays from this water might be the means of confounding and destroying the Moabites.

And he said, thus saith the Lord, make this valley full of ditches. In which the allied army lay encamped, that they might be ready to receive large quantities of water, sufficient for the whole army and cattle, when it came.

Make this valley full of ditches--capable of holding water.

*More commentary available at chapter level.


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