2 Kings 3:16

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

And he said, Thus saith Jehovah, Make this valley full of trenches.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיֹּ֕אמֶר כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה עָשֹׂ֛ה הַנַּ֥חַל הַזֶּ֖ה גֵּבִ֥ים ׀ גֵּבִֽים׃

Transliteration

wa-yōʾmer, thus ʾāmar YHWH: ʿāsōh ha-naḥal ha-zeh gēbîm gēbîm.

Grammar Details

*wa-yōʾmer*: conjunction + qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - and he said
*kōh*: adverb - thus/so
*ʾāmar*: qal perfect, 3rd masculine singular - he has said
*YHWH*: divine name - LORD/Yahweh
*ʿāsōh*: qal infinitive absolute - make
*ha-naḥal*: definite article + masculine singular noun - the valley/wadi
*ha-zeh*: definite article + demonstrative pronoun - this
*gēbîm gēbîm*: masculine plural noun, repeated - ditches upon ditches/many ditches

Word Meanings

*ʿāsōh*: make/dig
*ha-naḥal*: valley/wadi/streambed
*gēbîm gēbîm*: ditches upon ditches/many trenches/pools everywhere

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Num 2:16-18 : 16 All that were numbered of the camp of Reuben were a hundred thousand and fifty and one thousand and four hundred and fifty, according to their hosts. And they shall set forth second. 17 Then the tent of meeting shall set forward, with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camps: as they encamp, so shall they set forward, every man in his place, by their standards. 18 On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their hosts: and the prince of the children of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud.
2 Kgs 4:3 : 3 Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbors, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

2 Kgs 3:17-20
4 verses
84%
17For 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.
18And this is but a light thing in the sight of Jehovah: he will also deliver the Moabites into your hand.
19And ye shall smite every fortified city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all fountains of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.
20And it came to pass in the morning, about the time of offering the oblation, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.
1 Kgs 17:2-3
2 verses
73%
2And the word of Jehovah came unto him, saying,
3Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before the Jordan.
2 Kgs 3:15
72%
15But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of Jehovah came upon him.
1 Kgs 18:35
72%
35And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.
Joel 3:18
72%
18And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the brooks of Judah shall flow with waters; and a fountain shall come forth from the house of Jehovah, and shall water the valley of Shittim.
Isa 41:18
72%
18I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
Ezek 37:2
71%
2And he caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.
1 Kgs 17:7-8
2 verses
70%
7And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.
8And the word of Jehovah came unto him, saying,
Deut 8:7
70%
7For Jehovah thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills;
Isa 43:16
70%
16Thus saith Jehovah, who maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;
Isa 37:25
70%
25I have digged and drunk water, and with the sole of my feet will I dry up all the rivers of Egypt.
Nah 3:14
70%
14Draw thee water for the siege; strengthen thy fortresses; go into the clay, and tread the mortar; make strong the brickkiln.
Ps 84:6
70%
6Passing through the valley of Weeping they make it a place of springs; Yea, the early rain covereth it with blessings.
Deut 11:11
70%
11but the land, whither ye go over to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, [and] drinketh water of the rain of heaven,
Ps 107:35
69%
35He turneth a wilderness into a pool of water, And a dry land into watersprings.
1 Kgs 17:5
69%
5So he went and did according unto the word of Jehovah; for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before the Jordan.
2 Kgs 4:3
69%
3Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbors, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.
Zech 10:1
69%
1Ask ye of Jehovah rain in the time of the latter rain, [even of] Jehovah that maketh lightnings; and he will give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.
Ezek 22:23
69%
23And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
Isa 44:27
69%
27that saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers;
2 Kgs 2:19
69%
19And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, we pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is bad, and the land miscarrieth.
Nah 1:4
69%
4He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel; and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.
Ps 78:15-16
2 verses
69%
15He clave rocks in the wilderness, And gave them drink abundantly as out of the depths.
16He brought streams also out of the rock, And caused waters to run down like rivers.
Job 38:26-27
2 verses
69%
26To cause it to rain on a land where no man is; On the wilderness, wherein there is no man;
27To satisfy the waste and desolate [ground], And to cause the tender grass to spring forth?
Isa 42:15
69%
15I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and will dry up the pools.
Ps 107:33
69%
33He turneth rivers into a wilderness, And watersprings into a thirsty ground;
Ezek 6:3
69%
3and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord Jehovah: Thus saith the Lord Jehovah to the mountains and to the hills, to the watercourses and to the valleys: Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places.
Joel 3:14
68%
14Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! for the day of Jehovah is near in the valley of decision.
1 Kgs 20:28
68%
28And a man of God came near and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith Jehovah, Because the Syrians have said, Jehovah is a god of the hills, but he is not a god of the valleys; therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thy hand, and ye shall know that I am Jehovah.
Isa 19:5
68%
5And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and become dry.
Jer 4:3
68%
3For thus saith Jehovah to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.
Deut 11:14-15
2 verses
68%
14that I will give the rain of your land in its season, the former rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy grain, and thy new wine, and thine oil.
15And I will give grass in thy fields for thy cattle, and thou shalt eat and be full.
1 Kgs 17:14
68%
14For thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, The jar of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that Jehovah sendeth rain upon the earth.
2 Kgs 3:11
68%
11But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah, that we may inquire of Jehovah by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.
2 Kgs 19:24
68%
24I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet will I dry up all the rivers of Egypt.
Ps 65:10
68%
10Thou waterest its furrows abundantly; Thou settlest the ridges thereof: Thou makest it soft with showers; Thou blessest the springing thereof.
Amos 6:11
68%
11For, behold, Jehovah commandeth, and the great house shall be smitten with breaches, and the little house with clefts.
Amos 9:5
68%
5For the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, [is] he that toucheth the land and it melteth, and all that dwell therein shall mourn; and it shall rise up wholly like the River, and shall sink again, like the River of Egypt;
Ezek 47:8
68%
8Then said he unto me, These waters issue forth toward the eastern region, and shall go down into the Arabah; and they shall go toward the sea; into the sea [shall the waters go] which were made to issue forth; and the waters shall be healed.
Isa 40:3
68%
3The voice of one that crieth, Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of Jehovah; make level in the desert a highway for our God.
Deut 2:17
68%
17that Jehovah spake unto me, saying,
1 Kgs 18:41
68%
41And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.