2 Kings 3

1 In the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah, Jehoram son of Ahab became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria twelve years.

And Joram the son of Achaab began to reign in Israel in the eighteenth year of Josaphat king of Juda, and he reigned twelve years.

2 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as his father and mother had done. He removed the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made.

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, only not as his father, nor as his mother: and he removed the pillars of Baal which his father had made.

3 Nevertheless, he clung to the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.

Only he adhered to the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who made Israel to sin; he departed not from it.

4 Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he would render to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams.

And Mosa king of Moab was a sheep-master, and he rendered to the king of Israel in the beginning [of the year], a hundred thousand lambs, and a hundred thousand rams, with the wool.

5 But after the death of Ahab, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

And it came to pass, after the death of Achaab, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

6 So at that time King Jehoram set out from Samaria and mobilized all Israel.

And king Joram went forth in that day out of Samaria, and numbered Israel.

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.”

And he went and sent to Josaphat king of Juda, saying, The king of Moab has rebelled against me: will you go with me against Moab to war? And he said, I will go up: you are as I, I am as you; as my people, so [is] your people, as my horses, so [are] your horses.

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

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

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.

And the king of Israel went, and the king of Juda, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days' journey; and there was no water for the army, and for the cattle that went with them.

10 “Alas,” said the king of Israel, “for the LORD has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab!”

And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the Lord should have called the three kings on their way, to give them into the hand of Moab.

11 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the LORD here? Let us inquire of the LORD through him.” And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.”

And Josaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we may enquire of the Lord by him? And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered and said, [There is] here Elisaie son of Saphat, who poured water on the hands of Eliu.

12 Jehoshaphat affirmed, “The word of the LORD is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

And Josaphat said, He has the word of the Lord. And the king of Israel, and Josaphat king of Juda, and the king of Edom, went down to him.

13 Elisha, however, said to the king of Israel, “What have we to do with each other? Go to the prophets of your father and of your mother!” “No,” replied the king of Israel, “for it is the LORD who has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”

And Elisaie said to the king of Israel, What have I to do with you? go to the prophets of your father, and the prophets of your mother. And the king of Israel said to him, Has the Lord called the three kings to deliver them into the hands of Moab?

14 Then Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not for my regard for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you or acknowledge you.

And Elisaie said, [As] the Lord of hosts before whom I stand lives, unless I regarded the presence of Josaphat the king of Juda, I would not have looked on you, nor seen you.

15 But now, bring me a harpist.” And while the harpist played, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha

And now fetch me a harper. And it came to pass, as the harper harped, that the hand of the Lord came upon him.

16 and he said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Dig this valley full of ditches.’

And he said, Thus says the Lord, Make this valley full of trenches.

17 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.’

For thus says the Lord, You shall not see wind, neither shall you see rain, yet this valley shall be filled with water, and you, and your flocks, and your cattle shall drink.

18 This is a simple matter in the sight of the LORD, and He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand.

And this [is] a light [thing] in the eyes of the Lord: I will also deliver Moab into your hand.

19 And you shall attack every fortified city and every city of importance. You shall cut down every good tree, stop up every spring, and ruin every good field with stones.”

And you shall strike every strong city, and you shall cut down every good tree, and you shall stop all wells of water, and spoil every good piece [of land] with stones.

20 The next morning, at the time of the morning sacrifice, water suddenly flowed from the direction of Edom and filled the land.

And it came to pass in the morning, when the sacrifice was offered, that, behold! waters came from the way of Edom, and the land was filled with water.

21 Now all the Moabites had heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. So all who could bear arms, young and old, were summoned and stationed at the border.

And all Moab heard that the three kings were come up to fight against them; and they cried out on every [side, even] all that were girded with a girdle, and they said, Ho! and stood upon the border.

22 When they got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water, and it looked as red as blood to the Moabites across the way.

And they rose early in the morning, and the sun rose upon the waters, and Moab saw the waters on the opposite side red as blood.

23 “This is blood!” they exclaimed. “The kings have clashed swords and slaughtered one another. Now to the plunder, Moab!”

And they said, This [is] the blood of the sword; and the kings have fought, and each man has struck his neighbor; now then to the spoils, Moab.

24 But when the Moabites came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and attacked them, and they fled before them. So the Israelites invaded their land and struck down the Moabites.

And they entered into the camp of Israel; and Israel arose and struck Moab, and they fled from before them; and they went on and struck Moab as they went.

25 They destroyed the cities, and each man threw stones on every good field until it was covered. They stopped up every spring and cut down every good tree. Only Kir-haraseth was left with stones in place, but men with slings surrounded it and attacked it as well.

And they razed the cities, and cast every man his stone on every good piece [of land] and filled it; and they stopped every well, and cut down every good tree, until they left [only] the stones of the wall cast down; and the slingers compassed [the land], and struck it.

26 When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not prevail.

And the king of Moab saw that the battle prevailed against him; and he took with him seven hundred men that drew sword, to cut through to the king of Edom: and they could not.

27 So he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him, and offered him as a burnt offering on the city wall. And there was great fury against the Israelites, so they withdrew and returned to their own land.

And he took his oldest son whom he had designed to reign in his stead, and offered him up for a whole burnt offering on the walls. And there was a great indignation against Israel; and they departed from him, and returned to their land.