2 Kings 3:17

KJV

For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.

KJV (with Strong's)

For thus saith {H559} the LORD {H3068}, Ye shall not see {H7200} wind {H7307}, neither shall ye see {H7200} rain {H1653}; yet that valley {H5158} shall be filled {H4390} with water {H4325}, that ye may drink {H8354}, both ye, and your cattle {H4735}, and your beasts {H929}.

Complete Jewish Bible

For here is what ADONAI says: 'You won't see wind, and you won't see rain. Nevertheless the valley will be filled with water; and you will drink - you, your cattle and your other animals.

Berean Standard Bible

For the LORD says, ‘You will not see wind or rain, but the valley will be filled with water, and you will drink—you and your cattle and your animals.’

American Standard Version

For thus saith Jehovah, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, and ye shall drink, both ye and your cattle and your beasts.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
2 Kings 3:17 presents a profound declaration of God's miraculous provision amidst a desperate military campaign, showcasing His unparalleled ability to act beyond the constraints of natural phenomena. Through the prophet Elisha, the Lord promises an abundance of water for the parched armies and livestock of the allied kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom, explicitly stating that this provision would occur without any visible wind or rain, thereby underscoring divine sovereignty and unconventional power.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is a pivotal moment in the narrative of 2 Kings 3, which details the joint military expedition of King Jehoram of Israel, King Jehoshaphat of Judah, and the king of Edom against Moab. Their campaign is threatened by a severe water shortage in the wilderness of Edom, bringing the entire army and their animals to the brink of collapse. Desperate, they seek the counsel of the prophet Elisha. Elisha initially expresses disdain for Jehoram's idolatry but agrees to intervene for the sake of the righteous King Jehoshaphat, who had earnestly sought the Lord, as recorded in [2 Chronicles 20:3](/2_chronicles/20-3 "2 Chronicles 20:3 - Jehoshaphat Seeks the Lord"). The prophecy in [2 Kings 3:17](/2_kings/3-17 "2 Kings 3:17 - Elisha's Prophecy of Water") is immediately followed by its miraculous fulfillment in [2 Kings 3:20](/2_kings/3-20 "2 Kings 3:20 - The Water Appears") and the subsequent events of the battle.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Ancient warfare, especially in the arid regions of the Near East, was profoundly dependent on reliable water sources. A lack of water could quickly render an army incapacitated, leading to defeat or death from dehydration. The alliance itself reflects the complex political landscape of the divided kingdom era, where Judah and Israel, despite their theological differences, sometimes allied for strategic purposes. The role of prophets like Elisha was crucial; they served as divine intermediaries, offering guidance and intervention in matters of national crisis, including military campaigns. The act of seeking a prophet and offering sacrifices (as seen in [2 Kings 3:15](/2_kings/3-15 "2 Kings 3:15 - Elisha Calls for a Musician")) highlights the cultural practice of seeking divine favor and direction before major undertakings.
* **Key Themes:** The passage powerfully articulates several key themes. Foremost is **Divine Sovereignty over Nature**, demonstrating God's absolute control over natural elements, providing water without the conventional signs of rain or wind. This underscores the theme of **Miraculous Provision**, where God intervenes directly and supernaturally when human resources and logic fail, echoing earlier instances of divine sustenance in the wilderness, such as the provision of manna and water from the rock as detailed in [Exodus 16](/exodus/16 "Exodus 16 - Manna and Quail") and [Exodus 17](/exodus/17 "Exodus 17 - Water from the Rock and Rephidim"). The narrative also highlights **God's Faithfulness to the Righteous**, as the miracle is explicitly performed for Jehoshaphat's sake, despite Jehoram's unfaithfulness. Finally, the inclusion of "cattle, and your beasts" emphasizes **God's Comprehensive Care**, extending His benevolent provision beyond human needs to encompass all of creation involved in His purposes.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **"LORD" (Hebrew, _Yahweh'_):** The covenant name of God, emphasizing His personal, relational, and unchanging character. When used with "thus saith the LORD," it underscores the absolute authority and certainty of the prophetic word, indicating that the message originates directly from the sovereign Creator and Sustainer of all things.
* **"Wind" (Hebrew, _ruach'_):** This term can refer to wind, spirit, or breath. In this meteorological context, it refers to the atmospheric movement often associated with bringing rain clouds. Its absence, along with rain, highlights that the coming water would not be due to any natural, observable weather pattern, emphasizing the supernatural nature of the provision.
* **"Valley" (Hebrew, _nachal'_):** This word typically denotes a wadi or a dry riverbed, common in arid regions, which only fills with water after significant rainfall, often from distant storms causing flash floods. The prophecy that *this specific valley* would be filled with water, without visible rain, points to an extraordinary, localized, and divinely orchestrated event.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"For thus saith the LORD,":** This opening phrase serves as a powerful prophetic formula, authenticating the message as a direct divine utterance. It signals that Elisha is not speaking his own words but delivering a precise, authoritative oracle from Yahweh, the God of Israel, imbuing the subsequent declaration with absolute certainty and divine power.
* **"Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain;":** This clause sets up the paradox of the miracle. It explicitly states the absence of conventional meteorological conditions that would bring water. This negates any possibility of the event being attributed to natural causes, forcing the observers to acknowledge a supernatural intervention. It emphasizes God's ability to work independent of, or even contrary to, natural laws.
* **"yet that valley shall be filled with water,":** Despite the absence of visible wind or rain, this is the promised outcome. The "valley" (likely the wadi where they were encamped) would be supernaturally inundated. This highlights God's power to create abundance in desolation and to manifest His provision in unexpected ways and places.
* **"that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.":** This final clause specifies the practical purpose and beneficiaries of the miraculous provision. It underscores God's comprehensive care, not only for the human combatants but also for the vital livestock, without which the army's campaign could not proceed. It reveals a benevolent God who attends to the most basic needs of His creation.

#### Literary Devices
The passage employs several potent literary devices to convey its message. **Paradox** is central, as the prophecy declares water will appear without the natural precursors of wind or rain, creating a tension between expectation and outcome that highlights the supernatural. The phrase "thus saith the LORD" is an instance of **Divine Fiat**, where God's word is presented as the direct cause of a physical reality, emphasizing His absolute authority and creative power. The specific negation ("neither shall ye see wind, neither shall ye see rain") functions as a form of **Emphasis** or **Hyperbole**, underscoring the extraordinary nature of the impending miracle by ruling out all conventional explanations. Finally, the verse serves as **Foreshadowing**, building anticipation for the miraculous fulfillment described in the subsequent verses of the chapter, where the valley is indeed filled with water.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
2 Kings 3:17 profoundly illustrates God's character as the ultimate Provider, confirming His name "Jehovah Jireh" (The Lord Will Provide). It demonstrates that God's power is not confined by human understanding or natural limitations; He can create a way where there is no way, supplying needs through means invisible to the human eye. This miracle, performed for the sake of the faithful King Jehoshaphat, even amidst the unfaithfulness of Jehoram, underscores God's covenant faithfulness and His willingness to extend grace through the righteous. It teaches us to trust in God's unconventional methods and to look beyond visible circumstances for His intervention.

* [Exodus 17:6](/exodus/17-6 "Exodus 17:6 - Water from the Rock at Horeb"): God provides water from a rock in the wilderness for the thirsty Israelites, demonstrating His power over creation and His provision in impossible circumstances.
* [Psalm 78:15](/psalms/78-15 "Psalm 78:15-16 - God Provides Water in the Wilderness"): Recounts God's miraculous provision of water from the rock, affirming His ability to bring forth streams in the desert.
* [Isaiah 43:19](/isaiah/43-19 "Isaiah 43:19 - God Making a Way in the Wilderness"): A prophetic declaration that God will do a new thing, making a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert, echoing the theme of unconventional provision.

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
In a world often driven by visible evidence and logical solutions, 2 Kings 3:17 serves as a powerful reminder of God's transcendent power and His capacity to intervene in ways that defy human expectation. For believers today, this passage offers profound encouragement in times of scarcity, crisis, or seemingly impossible situations. When we face "dry seasons" in our lives—whether financial, emotional, relational, or spiritual—this verse calls us to look beyond conventional solutions and trust in God's unconventional, yet perfect, ways of provision. It challenges us to cultivate a faith that believes in God's ability to act even when there are no visible signs of His work, knowing that His power is not limited by what we can see or understand. It calls us to exercise radical trust, confident that God can create a way where there appears to be no way, providing for our deepest needs in unexpected and miraculous fashion.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does this passage challenge your understanding of God's provision and His methods of working in the world?**
* **In what areas of your life are you currently experiencing a "dry valley" and waiting for God to act in an unconventional way?**
* **What does this verse teach us about the importance of seeking God's guidance in difficult circumstances, even when human efforts and resources seem to fail?**

### FAQ
**Why did God provide water for the unfaithful King Jehoram, who was leading the Israelite army?**

Answer: God's provision in this instance was primarily for the sake of King Jehoshaphat of Judah, who was known for his righteousness and his sincere devotion to the Lord. As Elisha explicitly states in [2 Kings 3:14](/2_kings/3-14 "2 Kings 3:14 - Elisha's Rebuke and Promise"), "Were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee." This highlights a principle seen throughout scripture where God extends grace and blessing to a group or nation for the sake of a faithful individual among them. Furthermore, God's actions also served to demonstrate His power and sovereignty to all involved, including the unfaithful, and to fulfill His broader purposes in the conflict with Moab.

**How did the valley get filled with water if there was no wind or rain?**

Answer: The text in [2 Kings 3:20](/2_kings/3-20 "2 Kings 3:20 - The Water Appears") states that "behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water." This suggests that a flash flood occurred, likely from a rainstorm far off in the mountains of Edom that was not visible to the allied armies in their immediate vicinity. The miracle was not the absence of rain *anywhere*, but the absence of *visible* wind or rain *to them* at their location, combined with the precise timing and location of the water's appearance, directly in response to Elisha's prophecy. It was a supernatural orchestration of natural events, making the provision appear sudden, unexpected, and divinely ordained, underscoring God's control over the unseen forces of nature.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The miraculous provision of water in 2 Kings 3:17, defying natural explanation, finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who is the source of eternal, life-giving water. Just as God provided physical water in a desolate valley without visible rain, Christ offers spiritual sustenance that transcends human understanding and effort. He is the [Living Water](/john/4-10 "John 4:10 - Jesus Offers Living Water") that quenches the deepest thirst of the human soul, a provision not dependent on our merit or visible works, but on God's sovereign grace. Jesus declared, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow [rivers of living water](/john/7-38 "John 7:38 - Rivers of Living Water').'" This echoes the Old Testament miracle where water flowed supernaturally. Furthermore, Christ himself is the ultimate "unseen" provision, the [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), whose sacrifice on the cross provided salvation through means that were paradoxical to human wisdom. Just as God acted for Jehoshaphat's sake, God's ultimate provision in Christ is for the sake of His beloved Son, extending grace and life to all who believe, a spiritual reality that defies the limitations of our natural sight and understanding.

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

Psalms 107:35

He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings.

Isaiah 41:17

[When] the poor and needy seek water, and [there is] none, [and] their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

Isaiah 41:18

I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.

Isaiah 48:21

And they thirsted not [when] he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out.

Isaiah 43:19

Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, [and] rivers in the desert.

Isaiah 43:20

The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, [and] rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.

Psalms 84:6

[Who] passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.