Then Jehoshaphat asked, “What route will we take?” “We will attack from the wilderness of Edom,” Joram replied.
Parallel translations
- WEB He said, “Which way shall we go up?” He answered, “The way of the wilderness of Edom.”
- KJV And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom.
- BSB Then he asked, “Which way shall we go up?” “By way of the Desert of Edom,” replied Joram.
- NKJV Then he said, “Which way shall we go up?” And he answered, “By way of the Wilderness of Edom.”
- NASB Then he said, “Which way shall we go up?” And he answered, “The way of the wilderness of Edom.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
They decide to approach Moab through the wilderness of Edom. The route choice draws in a third king and sets the stage for crisis.
Overview
The longer southern route around the Dead Sea aimed to attack Moab from an unexpected direction. It also brought Edom, a vassal, into the coalition. The wilderness path soon exposes the army to a desperate shortage of water.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
- Num 21:4They traveled from Mount Hor by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom The soul of the people was very discouraged because of the journey.
- Mal 1:2–3“I have loved you,” says Yahweh. Yet you say, “How have you loved us?” “Wasn’t Esau Jacob’s brother?” says Yahweh, “Yet I loved Jacob;
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Christ at the center
Amid the long decline toward exile, the promise to David's house refuses to die; the flickering lamp kept burning anticipates the coming King who will not fail or be cut off.
How 2 Kings 3:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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