< Kings IV 3 >

1 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.
Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.
2 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.
And he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made.
3 Only he adhered to the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who made Israel to sin; he departed not from it.
Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not from it.
4 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.
And Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool.
5 And it came to pass, after the death of Achaab, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
6 And king Joram went forth in that day out of Samaria, and numbered Israel.
And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel.
7 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.
And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab has rebelled against me: will you go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as you are, my people as your people, and my horses as your horses.
8 And he said, What way shall I go up? and he said, The way of the wilderness of Edom.
And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom.
9 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.
So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days' journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them.
10 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.
And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the LORD has called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!
11 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.
But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may enquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah.
12 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.
And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the LORD is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
13 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?
And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with you? get you to the prophets of your father, and to the prophets of your mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD has called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.
14 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.
And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward you, nor see you.
15 And now fetch me a harper. And it came to pass, as the harper harped, that the hand of the Lord came upon him.
But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.
16 And he said, Thus says the Lord, Make this valley full of trenches.
And he said, Thus says the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches.
17 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.
For thus says the LORD, All of you shall not see wind, neither shall all of you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that all of you may drink, both all of you, and your cattle, and your beasts.
18 And this [is] a light [thing] in the eyes of the Lord: I will also deliver Moab into your hand.
And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.
19 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.
And all of you shall strike every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and ruin every good piece of land with stones.
20 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.
And it came to pass in the morning, when the food offering was offered, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.
21 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.
And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood in the border.
22 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.
And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood:
23 And they said, This [is] the blood of the sword; and the kings have fought, and each man has struck his neighbour; now then to the spoils, Moab.
And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.
24 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.
And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and stroke the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward smiting the Moabites, even in their country.
25 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.
And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees: only in Kirharaseth left they the stones thereof; nevertheless the slingers went about it, and stroke it.
26 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.
And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through even unto the king of Edom: but they could not.
27 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.
Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his position, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.

< Kings IV 3 >