2 Kings 3:8
New International Version
“By what route shall we attack?” he asked. “Through the Desert of Edom,” he answered.

New Living Translation
Then Jehoshaphat asked, “What route will we take?” “We will attack from the wilderness of Edom,” Joram replied.

English Standard Version
Then he said, “By which way shall we march?” Jehoram answered, “By the way of the wilderness of Edom.”

Berean Standard Bible
Then he asked, “Which way shall we go up?” “By way of the Desert of Edom,” replied Joram.

King James Bible
And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom.

New King James Version
Then he said, “Which way shall we go up?” And he answered, “By way of the Wilderness of Edom.”

New American Standard Bible
Then he said, “Which way shall we go up?” And he answered, “The way of the wilderness of Edom.”

NASB 1995
He said, “Which way shall we go up?” And he answered, “The way of the wilderness of Edom.”

NASB 1977
And he said, “Which way shall we go up?” And he answered, “The way of the wilderness of Edom.”

Legacy Standard Bible
And he said, “Which way shall we go up?” And he answered, “The way of the wilderness of Edom.”

Amplified Bible
Jehoram said, “Which way shall we go up?” Jehoshaphat answered, “The way through the Wilderness of Edom.”

Christian Standard Bible
He asked, “Which route should we take? ” He replied, “The route of the Wilderness of Edom.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then he asked, “Which route should we take?” Joram replied, “The route of the Wilderness of Edom.”

American Standard Version
And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way of the wilderness of Edom.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he said to him: “By which road will we go up?” And he said: “In the road of the wilderness of Edom.”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he said, What way shall I go up? and he said, The way of the wilderness of Edom.

Contemporary English Version
But which way should we go?" "We will march through Edom Desert," Joram replied.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said: Which way shall we go up? But he answered: By the desert of Edom.

English Revised Version
And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way of the wilderness of Edom.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Joram asked, "Which road should we take?" Jehoshaphat answered, "The road through the desert of Edom."

Good News Translation
What route shall we take for the attack?" "We will go the long way through the wilderness of Edom," Joram answered.

International Standard Version
"What road do we take?" Jehoram answered, "We'll go along the Edom desert road."

JPS Tanakh 1917
And he said: 'Which way shall we go up?' And he answered: 'The way of the wilderness of Edom.'

Literal Standard Version
And he says, “Where [is] this—the way we go up?” And he says, “The way of the wilderness of Edom.”

Majority Standard Bible
Then he asked, “Which way shall we go up?” “By way of the Desert of Edom,” replied Joram.

New American Bible
He said, “By what route shall we attack?” and the other said, “By way of the wilderness of Edom.”

NET Bible
He then asked, "Which invasion route are we going to take?" Jehoram answered, "By the road through the Desert of Edom."

New Revised Standard Version
Then he asked, “By which way shall we march?” Jehoram answered, “By the way of the wilderness of Edom.”

New Heart English Bible
He said, "Which way shall we go up?" He answered, "The way of the wilderness of Edom."

Webster's Bible Translation
And he said, which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom.

World English Bible
Then he said, “Which way shall we go up?” Jehoram answered, “The way of the wilderness of Edom.”

Young's Literal Translation
And he saith, 'Where is this -- the way we go up?' and he saith, 'The way of the wilderness of Edom.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Joram Overcomes Moab's Rebellion
7And he sent a message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?” “I will go,” replied Jehoshaphat. “I am like you, my people are your people, and my horses are your horses.” 8Then he asked, “Which way shall we go up?” “By way of the Desert of Edom,” replied Joram. 9So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom set out, and after they had traveled a roundabout route for seven days, they had no water for their army or for their animals.…

Cross References
2 Kings 3:7
And he sent a message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: "The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?" "I will go," replied Jehoshaphat. "I am like you, my people are your people, and my horses are your horses."

2 Kings 3:9
So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom set out, and after they had traveled a roundabout route for seven days, they had no water for their army or for their animals.


Treasury of Scripture

And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom.

the wilderness of Edom.

Numbers 13:21
So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath.

Numbers 13:21
So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath.

Numbers 21:4
And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.

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2 Kings 3
1. Jehoram's reign
4. Mesha rebels
6. Jehoram, with Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom, being distressed for want of water,
13. by Elisha obtains water, and promise of victory
21. The Moabites, deceived by the colour of the water, coming to spoil, are overcome
26. The king of Moab sacrifices his son, and raises the siege














(8) And he said--i.e., Jehoram said.

Which way.--They might cross the Jordan, and attack the northern frontier of Moab, or they might round the southern end of the Dead Sea, and invade Moab from the side of Edom. The former was the shortest route for both kings. But Moab's strongest defences were on the north frontier, and the allies would be liable to attacks from the Syrians in Ramoth-gilead (2Kings 8:28). The longer and more difficult southern road may have been chosen partly on these grounds, and partly because Jehoshaphat wished to march as far as might be within his own territory, and to get a contingent from Edom, which was at this time subject to him (1Kings 22:48), and perhaps to hold it in check. Moreover, the Moabites were less likely to be on their guard on the southern border, which was more difficult of access.

And he answered.--Said--i.e., Jehoshaphat.

Verse 8. - And he said, Which way shall we go up? Jehoram asked Jehoshaphat's advice as to the plan of campaign. There 'were two ways in which Moab might be approached - the direct one across the Jordan and then southward through the country east of the Dead Sea to the Amen, which was the boundary between Moab and Israel; and a circuitous one through the desert west of the Red Sea, and across the Arabah south of it, then northwards through Northern Edom, to the brook Zered, or Wady-el- Ahsy, which was the boundary between Moab and Edom. If the former route were pursued, Moab would be entered on the north; if the latter, she would be attacked on the south. Jehoshaphat recommended the circuitous route. And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom; probably for two reasons: Edom, though under a native king, was a dependency of Judah (1 Kings 22:47), and on passing through the Edomite country, an Edomite contingent might be added to the invading force; Moab, moreover, was mere likely to be surprised by an attack on this quarter, which was unusual, and from which she would not anticipate danger.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then he asked,
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Which
אֵי־ (’ê-)
Interrogative
Strong's 335: Where?, how?

way
הַדֶּ֖רֶךְ (had·de·reḵ)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

shall we go up?”
נַעֲלֶ֑ה (na·‘ă·leh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural
Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively

“By way
דֶּ֖רֶךְ (de·reḵ)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

of the Desert
מִדְבַּ֥ר (miḏ·bar)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4057: A pasture, a desert, speech

of Edom,”
אֱדֽוֹם׃ (’ĕ·ḏō·wm)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 123: The name of a condiment

replied Joram.
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say


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OT History: 2 Kings 3:8 He said Which way shall we go (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)
2 Kings 3:7
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