Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 3
The soldiers prepared as God had directed Elisha. They dug holes in the dry earth, as if they expected rain. Rain would fill those holes, if any rain fell; and then they and their animals would drink the water. However, God had clearly said that no rain would fall. God would provide the water that they so desperately needed in some other way.
God had provided the temple, his house in Jerusalem, as the place of prayer for all Israel. At this time, Israel’s armies were far from there. However, Solomon had directed that, in desperate situations, Israel’s people should turn towards the temple to pray (1 Kings 8:38).
At the temple, the priests offered two young sheep to God each day. They offered the first one early in the morning (Exodus 29:38-39), as the sun began to rise (3:22). It was at that sacred time that God answered his people’s desperate prayers for water.
Israel’s armies had camped in a valley in the desert. There was no river that ran through that valley – it was completely dry. On rare occasions, rain might fall in the desert – however, on this occasion, no rain fell. There was not even the wind that might bring a storm.
Instead, water flowed into that valley. The water came from the mountains of Edom, in the south. That water filled the holes that the soldiers had dug. There was plenty of water for the men and their animals. The most likely explanation seems to be that God sent a great storm with rain in the mountains of Edom. It was probably a great distance from where the soldiers had camped. However, the waters then flowed into the valley where the soldiers were. It seems that the water came very suddenly.
Next part: The defeat of Moab's army (2 Kings 3:21-24)
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