2 Kings 3

1 And Jehoram son of Ahab has reigned over Israel, in Samaria, in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigns 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 does evil in the eyes of YHWH, only not like his father, and like his mother, and he turns aside the standing-pillar of Ba‘al that his father 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 surely he has cleaved to the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that he caused Israel to sin; he has not turned aside from it.

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

4 And Mesha king of Moab was a sheep-master, and he rendered to the king of Israel one hundred thousand lambs and one hundred thousand rams, [with] wool,

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 and it comes to pass at the death of Ahab, that the king of Moab transgresses 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 And King Jehoram goes out from Samaria in that day, and inspects all Israel,

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

7 and goes and sends to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has transgressed against me; do you go with me to Moab for battle?” And he says, “I go up, as I, so you; as my people, so your people; as my horses, so 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 And he says, “Where [is] this—the way we go up?” And he says, “The way of the wilderness of Edom.”

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

9 And the king of Israel goes, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom, and they turn around the way seven days, and there has been no water for the camp, and for the livestock that [are] at their feet,

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 and the king of Israel says, “Aah! For YHWH has called for these three kings to give 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 And Jehoshaphat says, “Is there not a prophet of YHWH here, and we seek YHWH by him?” And one of the servants of the king of Israel answers and says, “Here [is] Elisha son of Shaphat, who poured 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 And Jehoshaphat says, “The word of YHWH is with him”; and the king of Israel goes down to him, and Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom.

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 And Elisha says to the king of Israel, “And what do I [have to do] with you? Go to the prophets of your father, and to the prophets of your mother”; and the king of Israel says to him, “No, for YHWH has called for these three kings to give 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 And Elisha says, “YHWH of Hosts lives, before whom I have stood; for unless I am lifting up the face of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I do not look to you, nor see 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 and now, bring a musician to me”; and it has been, at the playing of the musician, that the hand of YHWH is on him,

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 says, “Thus said YHWH: Make this valley ditches—ditches;

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

17 for thus said YHWH: You do not see wind, nor do you see rain, and that valley is full of water, and you have drunk—you, and your livestock, and your beasts.

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 And this has been light in the eyes of YHWH, and he has given Moab 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 have struck every fortified city, and every choice city, and you cause every good tree to fall, and you stop all fountains of waters, and you mar every good portion 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 And it comes to pass in the morning, at the ascending of the [morning] present, that behold, waters are coming in from the way of Edom, and the land is filled with the waters,

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 and all of Moab has heard that the kings have come up to fight against them, and they are called together, from everyone girding on a girdle and upward, and they stand by 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 And they rise early in the morning, and the sun has shone on the waters, and the Moabites see, from opposite [them], [that] the waters [are] red as blood,

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 and say, “This [is] blood; the kings have been surely destroyed, and they each strike his neighbor; and now for spoil, Moab!”

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.

24 And they come to the camp of Israel, and Israel rises, and strikes the Moabites, and they flee from their face; and they enter into Moab, so as to strike Moab,

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 and they break down the cities, and they each cast his stone [on] every good portion, and have filled it, and they stop every fountain of water, and they cause every good tree to fall—until one had left its stones in Kir-Haraseth, and the slingers go around and strike it.

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 And the king of Moab sees that the battle has been too strong for him, and he takes with him seven hundred men drawing sword, to cleave through to the king of Edom, and they have not been able,

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 and he takes his son, the firstborn who reigns in his stead, and causes him to ascend [as] a burnt-offering on the wall, and there is great wrath against Israel, and they journey from off him, and return to the 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.