2 Kings 3:10

KJV

And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!

KJV (with Strong's)

And the king {H4428} of Israel {H3478} said {H559}, Alas {H162}! that the LORD {H3068} hath called {H7121} these three {H7969} kings {H4428} together {H7121}, to deliver {H5414} them into the hand {H3027} of Moab {H4124}!

Complete Jewish Bible

"This is terrible!" exclaimed the king of Isra'el. "Has ADONAI called these three kings together only to hand them over to Mo'av?"

Berean Standard Bible

“Alas,” said the king of Israel, “for the LORD has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab!”

American Standard Version

And the king of Israel said, Alas! for Jehovah hath called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
In 2 Kings 3:10, King Jehoram of Israel utters a desperate lament, "Alas! that the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!" This cry of despair arises from a dire military crisis: Jehoram, allied with King Jehoshaphat of Judah and the king of Edom, finds their combined forces and livestock stranded without water in the arid wilderness during their campaign against rebellious Moab. Jehoram's exclamation reveals his fatalistic outlook and a profound misinterpretation of divine sovereignty, as he believes God has intentionally led them to their destruction rather than considering His capacity for deliverance or a test of their faith.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse marks a critical turning point within the narrative of the Moabite rebellion against Israel, thoroughly detailed in [2 Kings 3](/2_kings/3 "2 Kings 3 - The Moabite Rebellion and Elisha's Prophecy"). The chapter begins by introducing Jehoram's reign over Israel, noting his continued, albeit slightly less severe, engagement in idolatry compared to his parents, Ahab and Jezebel. Following Ahab's death, Moab, which had been a tributary state to Israel since the time of David, rebels. Jehoram, seeking to quell this uprising, forms an alliance with the righteous King Jehoshaphat of Judah and the king of Edom. Their strategic decision to march through the wilderness of Edom quickly leads to a severe water shortage, creating the desperate circumstances that prompt Jehoram's lament in 2 Kings 3:10. This outburst of hopelessness directly precedes Jehoshaphat's pivotal insistence on seeking a prophet of the Lord, which leads them to Elisha in [2 Kings 3:11](/2_kings/3-11 "2 Kings 3:11 - Jehoshaphat Seeks a Prophet"), thereby shifting the narrative focus from military strategy to the necessity of divine intervention.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The historical backdrop for this passage is the mid-9th century BCE, a period characterized by significant political instability and fluctuating alliances across the ancient Near East. Moab, a kingdom situated east of the Jordan River, had been a vassal state to Israel, obligated to pay tribute as explicitly mentioned in [2 Kings 3:4](/2_kings/3-4 "2 Kings 3:4 - Moab's Tribute to Israel"). Rebellions were a common occurrence among subjugated nations, particularly upon the death of a powerful overlord, as was the case after Ahab's demise. The chosen campaign route through the wilderness of Edom, while potentially offering the advantage of tactical surprise, was inherently perilous due to its well-known arid conditions and scarcity of water sources. Military campaigns in this era were heavily reliant on robust logistical support to sustain both soldiers and their essential livestock. Culturally, it was customary for kings to seek divine guidance before or during military engagements, yet Jehoram's initial reaction is one of profound despair rather than an immediate appeal to the Lord. The presence of a prophet like Elisha, who functioned as a direct intermediary for divine revelation, was a recognized and respected means of discerning God's will and securing His aid, especially for devout kings such as Jehoshaphat, who frequently sought the Lord's guidance in times of national crisis, as vividly illustrated in [2 Chronicles 20](/2_chronicles/20 "2 Chronicles 20 - Jehoshaphat's Prayer and Victory").

* **Key Themes:** Jehoram's lament in 2 Kings 3:10 powerfully illuminates several key themes prevalent throughout [the Book of 2 Kings](/2_kings "The Book of 2 Kings - Kingship, Prophecy, and Judgment"). Firstly, it underscores the profound contrast between **despair versus faith**. Jehoram's "Alas!" signifies utter hopelessness and a fatalistic conviction that their doom is divinely sealed. This stands in stark opposition to the faith-filled approach consistently encouraged in Scripture, exemplified by Jehoshaphat's immediate and decisive turn to a prophet of God. Secondly, the verse reveals a significant **misunderstanding of God's character**. Jehoram perceives the LORD not as a potential deliverer or a source of guidance and sustenance, but as an active agent of destruction against them, reflecting a limited, fearful, and self-serving interpretation of God's justice and mercy. Thirdly, the narrative subtly touches upon the **consequences of unrighteous alliances**. While not explicitly stated as the direct cause of the water shortage, Jehoshaphat's alliance with an idolatrous king like Jehoram frequently led to difficulties and divine displeasure, as evidenced in other Old Testament accounts, such as Jehoshaphat's rebuke for his alliance with Ahaziah in [2 Chronicles 20:37](/2_chronicles/20-37 "2 Chronicles 20:37 - Jehoshaphat's Alliance with Ahaziah"). Finally, the verse acknowledges **divine sovereignty**, even if Jehoram's perception of it is deeply flawed. He recognizes God's ultimate control over events, believing God is actively involved in their circumstances, albeit in a negative and destructive manner. This acknowledgment, despite its negative framing, sets the stage for the miraculous intervention that follows, demonstrating God's true sovereignty and His power to deliver beyond human expectation.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Alas! (Hebrew, _ʼăhâhh'_):** This is the Hebrew interjection אֲהָהּ (H162), a primitive word that serves as an exclamatory expression of deep pain, grief, distress, or utter despair. It is often considered onomatopoeic, mimicking a groan or a sigh. Its forceful inclusion here powerfully conveys King Jehoram's absolute hopelessness and his sense of being trapped, with no discernible way out of their dire predicament. It is a spontaneous, visceral outburst reflecting a spirit utterly broken by overwhelming and seemingly insurmountable circumstances.
* **LORD (Hebrew, _Yᵉhôvâh'_):** The use of יְהוָה (H3068), the covenant name of God, often transliterated as YHWH or Jehovah, is profoundly significant. Despite his own documented idolatrous practices and the spiritual decline of the northern kingdom, Jehoram acknowledges the God of Israel as the supreme deity who possesses ultimate power and authority over all events. This indicates a deep-seated recognition of God's sovereignty, even if his interpretation of God's immediate intentions is flawed, self-serving, and accusatory. It serves as a testimony to the pervasive, if often distorted, knowledge of YHWH's authority even among unrighteous kings in Israel.
* **deliver them into the hand (Hebrew, _nâthan yâd'_):** The phrase נָתַן בְּיַד (H5414, H3027), literally "to give into the hand of," is a very common and potent biblical idiom. It signifies surrender, defeat, being placed under the power, authority, or dominion of another, or being subjected to their control. It implies a complete loss of agency and subjugation. Jehoram employs this idiom here to express his conviction that God has actively orchestrated their defeat by Moab, viewing their current crisis not as a test or a challenge, but as a direct, intentional divine act of judgment or abandonment, leading them to certain destruction.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And the king of Israel said,"**: This introductory clause precisely identifies the speaker as King Jehoram, the reigning monarch of Israel, and immediately sets the stage for his emotional and significant utterance. It emphasizes the authority and leadership position of the one expressing such profound despair, making his lament all the more striking and indicative of the severity of the crisis facing the allied kings.
* **"Alas!"**: This single, potent interjection encapsulates the immediate and overwhelming feeling of hopelessness that grips Jehoram. It is a guttural, desperate cry of distress, revealing a man who perceives himself to be at the absolute end of his resources and unable to envision any solution or glimmer of hope in their dire predicament.
* **"that the LORD hath called these three kings together,"**: In this clause, Jehoram directly attributes their perilous situation to the intentional, orchestrating action of God. He believes that the LORD Himself meticulously arranged this alliance and their arduous journey through the wilderness, not for a redemptive or victorious outcome, but for a sinister and destructive purpose. This reveals a deeply fatalistic worldview and a profound misinterpretation of divine providence, as he assumes God's purpose is malevolent rather than redemptive, testing, or ultimately glorifying.
* **"to deliver them into the hand of Moab!"**: This concluding clause articulates Jehoram's perceived ultimate outcome and God's supposed malevolent intention. He is convinced that God's explicit purpose in assembling these kings and leading them into the wilderness was to surrender them completely to their enemies, the Moabites, for utter destruction. This statement represents the culmination of his despair, where he tragically views God as an adversary actively working against them, rather than a potential rescuer or a sovereign power capable of miraculous intervention, reflecting a deep spiritual blindness and a critical lack of faith in the face of overwhelming adversity.

#### Literary Devices
The verse masterfully employs several literary devices to vividly convey King Jehoram's state of mind and to heighten the narrative's inherent tension. **Lament** is the most prominent device, powerfully expressed through the onomatopoeic interjection "Alas!" and the subsequent despairing declaration. This lament functions as a dramatic pivot in the narrative, underscoring the extreme severity of the crisis and meticulously setting the stage for the miraculous divine intervention that is soon to follow. There is a profound element of **Irony** embedded within Jehoram's statement. He attributes their dire situation to the LORD's deliberate act of "delivering them into the hand of Moab," when, in fact, the LORD is imminently about to deliver *them* from Moab through a miraculous provision of water and a subsequent, decisive victory. His tragic misinterpretation of divine intent creates a palpable dramatic tension that is ultimately resolved by Elisha's prophetic word and God's subsequent action. Furthermore, Jehoram's statement contains a clear instance of **Anthropomorphism**, where he projects human-like malevolent intent and a manipulative purpose onto God, believing God "called" them together specifically "to deliver them" to their enemies. This misattribution of human-like negative motives to the divine highlights his spiritual blindness, his fatalism, and his limited understanding of God's true character and redemptive purposes.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
King Jehoram's desperate lament in 2 Kings 3:10 serves as a powerful theological commentary on the diverse human responses to crisis and the intricate nature of divine sovereignty. His immediate descent into despair and his accusatory stance against God reflect a common human tendency to blame the divine when circumstances become overwhelmingly difficult, rather than seeking divine counsel or trusting implicitly in God's character and faithfulness. This pivotal moment starkly highlights the contrast between a fatalistic view of God's sovereignty, which perceives Him as arbitrarily condemning or abandoning, and a faith-filled understanding, which recognizes God's infinite power to deliver even in seemingly impossible situations. The unfolding narrative ultimately demonstrates that God's ways and thoughts are infinitely higher than human understanding, and what appears to be an inescapable path to destruction can, in His sovereign hands, be transformed into an extraordinary opportunity for miraculous provision, profound spiritual growth, and the glorious revelation of His power and faithfulness.

* [Psalm 42:5](/psalms/42-5 "Psalm 42:5 - Hope in God Amidst Despair")
* [Lamentations 3:21-23](/lamentations/3-21-23 "Lamentations 3:21-23 - God's Steadfast Love and Mercies")
* [Isaiah 41:10](/isaiah/41-10 "Isaiah 41:10 - God's Assurance of Help")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
King Jehoram's desperate cry in 2 Kings 3:10 offers a profound mirror for our own reactions when confronted with overwhelming challenges and seemingly insurmountable obstacles. When faced with a "wilderness" experience in our lives – a crisis of resources, a dead-end situation, or profound uncertainty – do we, like Jehoram, immediately succumb to despair, assign blame to God, and fatalistically assume the worst-case scenario is God's deliberate intention for our harm? Or do we, like the more faithful Jehoshaphat, instinctively seek God's counsel, anchor our trust in His unchanging character, and believe in His extraordinary ability to provide and deliver even when the odds appear insuperable? This verse serves as a powerful reminder that our trials are not always divine punishment; rather, they can be divinely appointed tests of faith, catalysts for profound spiritual growth, or strategic means by which God chooses to reveal His power, faithfulness, and redemptive purposes in ways we could never have conceived. It challenges us to critically examine our fundamental understanding of God's sovereignty: Is it perceived as a cold, arbitrary, and fatalistic force, or as the loving, all-powerful, and benevolent hand of a Heavenly Father who meticulously works all things for the ultimate good of those who genuinely love Him and are called according to His purpose? Rather than yielding to fatalism or despair, we are called to actively seek God's will, to engage in fervent prayer, and to cultivate an unwavering trust in His infinite ability to deliver, knowing with certainty that His purposes are always redemptive and transformative, even when they lead us through the most desolate and challenging wilderness.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **When faced with desperate circumstances, what is your immediate, instinctive reaction: despair and blame, or seeking God's counsel and trusting His character?**
* **How does King Jehoram's understanding of God's sovereignty, as expressed in his lament, differ from a truly biblical and faith-filled understanding?**
* **Can you recall a specific time in your life when what initially seemed like a "dead end" or an impossible situation became a powerful opportunity for God to reveal His unexpected power and miraculous provision?**
* **What practical steps can you intentionally take this week to cultivate a deeper, more resilient trust in God's unchanging character, especially when your current circumstances seem to contradict His goodness or faithfulness?**

### FAQ
**Why did God allow the kings to run out of water if He intended to deliver them?**

Answer: God often allows His people to face seemingly insurmountable challenges, not with the intent to destroy them, but for profound, multi-faceted purposes: to test their faith, to reveal the true state of their hearts, and ultimately, to demonstrate His unparalleled power and faithfulness. In the context of [2 Kings 3](/2_kings/3 "2 Kings 3 - The Moabite Rebellion and Elisha's Prophecy"), the severe water shortage served several critical functions. It starkly exposed King Jehoram's deep-seated lack of faith and his fatalistic worldview, highlighting the spiritual contrast with Jehoshaphat's steadfast reliance on God. Furthermore, it created an undeniably desperate situation that necessitated a miraculous divine intervention, thereby magnifying God's glory and unequivocally proving that the subsequent victory came not through human strength, military strategy, or logistical prowess, but solely through His direct, sovereign hand. This pattern is consistently observed throughout Scripture, where God strategically leads His people into seemingly impossible predicaments (such as the Israelites facing the Red Sea in [Exodus 14](/exodus/14 "Exodus 14 - The Crossing of the Red Sea")) to powerfully display His might and to cultivate within them a profound and enduring dependence upon Him.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
King Jehoram's desperate lament in 2 Kings 3:10, expressing his profound sense of being "delivered into the hand of Moab" by the LORD, serves as a powerful and poignant foreshadowing of humanity's ultimate spiritual predicament and the true, redemptive nature of God's deliverance found exclusively in Christ. Like Jehoram and his allied kings, humanity often finds itself in a desolate spiritual wilderness of sin and despair, facing an insurmountable enemy – the power of sin and death – from which there appears to be no escape through human effort. Our own cries, much like Jehoram's, frequently reflect a deep misunderstanding of God's true intentions and His ultimate plan. However, the New Testament profoundly reveals that God did indeed "call together" humanity, not to deliver us into the hand of our spiritual enemies, but precisely to deliver us *from* them through the ultimate, atoning sacrifice of His beloved Son. Jesus Christ is the true "living water" (as He Himself proclaimed in [John 7:37-38](/john/7-37-38 "John 7:37-38 - Jesus, the Living Water")) who eternally quenches our deepest spiritual thirst in the wilderness of this fallen world, just as God miraculously provided physical water for the kings. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God")), delivering us from the condemning power of sin and the tyranny of death, rather than into it. The despair of Jehoram points to the universal and desperate human need for a divine Savior, and the subsequent miraculous provision in 2 Kings 3 powerfully highlights God's unwavering commitment to redeem, sustain, and ultimately triumph for His people through His Son, Jesus Christ, who is our ultimate provision, our complete deliverance, and our eternal victory ([Philippians 4:19](/philippians/4-19 "Philippians 4:19 - God's Provision in Christ")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Proverbs 19:3

¶ The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the LORD.

2 Kings 6:33

And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil [is] of the LORD; what should I wait for the LORD any longer?

Genesis 4:13

¶ And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment [is] greater than I can bear.

Isaiah 8:21

And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward.

Isaiah 51:20

Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net: they are full of the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of thy God.

Psalms 78:34

When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God.

Psalms 78:36

Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.