2 Kings 3

1 Joram, son of Ahab, became king of Israel in the eighteenth year of the reign of King Jehoshaphat of Judah. He reigned in Samaria for twelve years.

Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.

2 He did evil in the Lord's sight, but not like his father and mother had done, for he got rid of the stone image of Baal that his father had made.

He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, but not like his father and like his mother, for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made.

3 However, he still held on to the sins that Jeroboam, son of Nebat, had made Israel commit—he did not give them up.

Nevertheless he held to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin. He didn’t depart from them.

4 Mesha, king of Moab, was a sheep breeder. He used to provide a tribute to the king of Israel of one hundred thousand lambs and the wool of one hundred thousand rams.

Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder; and he supplied the king of Israel with one hundred thousand lambs and the wool of one hundred thousand rams.

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

But when Ahab was dead, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

6 Immediately King Joram called up the whole Israelite army and left Samaria.

King Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time, and mustered all Israel.

7 On his way he sent a message to Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you join me in an attack on Moab?” Jehoshaphat replied, “Yes, I will join you. You and I are as one, my men and your men are as one, and my horses and your horses are as one.”

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?” He said, “I will go up. I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”

8 Then he asked, “Which way shall we go?” “We'll take the road through the desert of Edom,” he replied.

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

9 So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom set off. Having followed an indirect route for seven days, they ran out of water for their army and for their animals.

So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom, and they marched for seven days along a circuitous route. There was no water for the army or for the animals that followed them.

10 “What are we doing?” complained the king of Israel. “The Lord has brought us three kings here to hand us over to the Moabites!”

The king of Israel said, “Alas! For the LORD has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”

11 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn't there a prophet of the Lord here with us? Let us consult the Lord through him.” One of the king of Israel's officers answered, “Elisha, son of Shaphat, is here. He was Elijah's assistant.”

But Jehoshaphat said, “Isn’t there a prophet of the LORD here, that we may enquire of the LORD by him?” One of the king of Israel’s servants answered, “Elisha the son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah, is here.”

12 Jehoshaphat agreed, “The Lord communicates by him.” So the king of Israel, Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom went to see him.

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

13 Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What have I got to do with you? Go to your own prophets, those of your father and your mother.” But the king of Israel said to him, “No—because it's the Lord who has brought these three kings here to hand them over to the Moabites!”

Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father, and to the prophets of your mother.” The king of Israel said to him, “No, for the LORD has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”

14 Elisha replied, “As the Lord Almighty lives, the one I serve, if I didn't respect the fact that Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, is here, I wouldn't even look in your direction or acknowledge you.

Elisha said, “As the LORD of Armies lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I respect the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look towards you, nor see you.

15 Now bring me a musician.” While the musician played, the Lord's power came upon Elisha,

But now bring me a musician.” When the musician played, the LORD’s hand came on him.

16 and he announced, “This is what the Lord says: This valley will be filled with pools of water. For the Lord says:

He said, “The LORD says, ‘Make this valley full of trenches.’

17 You won't see any wind, you won't see any rain, but even so this valley will be filled with water. You will drink, and your cattle, and your animals.

For the LORD says, ‘You will not see wind, neither will you see rain, yet that valley will be filled with water, and you will drink, both you and your livestock and your other animals.

18 The Lord views this as something trivial to do; and he will also make you victorious over the Moabites.

This is an easy thing in the LORD’s sight. He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand.

19 You will conquer every fortified town, and every important town. You will chop down every good tree, block up every spring, and spoil every good field by throwing stones on them.”

You shall strike every fortified city and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all springs of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.’”

20 The next day, around the time of the morning sacrifice, water suddenly flowed from the direction of Edom, filling the whole countryside with water.

In the morning, about the time of offering the sacrifice, behold, water came by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.

21 All the Moabites had heard that the kings had come to attack them. So everyone who could wear a sword, young and old, was called up and went to guard the border.

Now when all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, they gathered themselves together, all who were able to put on armour, young and old, and stood on the border.

22 But the next morning when they got up the sun was shining on the water, and to the Moabites on the other side it looked blood red.

They rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood.

23 “This is blood!” they said. “The kings and their armies must have attacked and killed each other! Moabites, let's grab the plunder!”

They said, “This is blood. The kings are surely destroyed, and they have struck each other. Now therefore, Moab, to the plunder!”

24 But when the Moabites arrived at the Israelite camp, the Israelites ran out and attacked them, and they ran away from them. So the Israelites invaded their country and killed the Moabites.

When they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and struck the Moabites, so that they fled before them; and they went forward into the land attacking the Moabites.

25 They destroyed the towns, and each soldier threw stones on every good field until it was covered. They blocked up every spring and chopped down every good tree. Only Kir-haraseth still had its walls, but soldiers using slingshots surrounded it and attacked it as well.

They beat down the cities; and on every good piece of land each man cast his stone, and filled it. They also stopped all the springs of water and cut down all the good trees, until in Kir Hareseth all they left was its stones; however the men armed with slings went around it and attacked it.

26 When the king of Moab realized he'd lost the battle, he led seven hundred swordsmen in an attempt to break through and attack the king of Edom, but they weren't able to do so.

When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too severe for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew a sword, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not.

27 So the king of Moab took his firstborn son, who was meant to succeed him, and sacrificed him as a burnt offering on the town wall. Great anger came upon the Israelites, so they left and went back to their own country.

Then he took his oldest son who would have reigned in his place, and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall. There was great wrath against Israel; and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.