2 Kings 3:16

and he said, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Make many cisterns in this valley,’ ¹ 

biblegateway 2Ki 3:16

and he said, "This is what the LORD says: Make this valley full of ditches.

biblegateway 2Ki 3:16

He said, "Thus says the LORD, ‘Make this valley full of trenches.’

biblegateway 2Ki 3:16

and he said, "This is what the LORD says: This dry valley will be filled with pools of water!

biblegateway 2Ki 3:16

He then said, "GOD's word: Dig ditches all over this valley.

SABDAweb 2Ki 3:16

And he said, The Lord says, I will make this valley full of water-holes.

bibleoremus 2Ki 3:16

And he said, "Thus says the LORD, ‘I will make this wadi full of pools.’

biblegateway 2Ki 3:16

And he said, "Thus says the LORD: ‘Make this valley full of ditches.’

biblegateway 2Ki 3:16

and he said, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Make many cisterns in this valley,’ ¹ 

¹ tn Heb “making this valley cisterns, cisterns.” The Hebrew noun גֵּב (gev) means “cistern” in Jer 14:3 (cf. Jer 39:10). The repetition of the noun is for emphasis. See GKC 396 §123.e. The verb (“making”) is an infinitive absolute, which has to be interpreted in light of the context. The translation above takes it in an imperatival sense. The command need not be understood as literal, but as hyperbolic. Telling them to build cisterns is a dramatic way of leading into the announcement that he would miraculously provide water in the desert. Some prefer to translate the infinitive as an imperfect with the Lord as the understood subject, “I will turn this valley [into] many pools.”