2 Kings 3

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

And Joram the son of Achab reigned over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Josaphat king of Juda. And he reigned twelve years.

2 And he did the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, only, not like his father, nor like his mother, —but he put away the pillars of Baal which, his father, had made;

And he did evil before the Lord, but not like his father and his mother: for he took away the statues of Baal, which his father had made.

3 nevertheless, unto the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat which he caused Israel to commit, he did cleave, —he turned not away therefrom

Nevertheless he stuck to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who made Israel to sin, nor did he depart from them.

4 Now, Mesha king of Moab, was a sheep-master, —and used to render to the king of Israel, the wool of hundred thousand fat sheep, and of a hundred thousand rams.

Now Mesa, king of Moab, nourished many sheep, and he paid to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs, and a hundred thousand rams with their fleeces.

5 And it came to pass, when Ahab died, that the king of Moab revolted against the king of Israel.

And when Achab was dead, he broke the league which he had made with the king of Israel.

6 So King Jehoram went forth, on that day, out of Samaria, and numbered all Israel.

And king Joram went out that day from Samaria, and mustered all Israel.

7 And he departed, and sent unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, saying—The king of Moab, hath revolted against me, wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said—I will go up, I am as thou art, my people are as thy people, my horses as thy horses.

And he sent to Josaphat king of Juda, saying: The king of Moab is revolted from me, come with me against him to battle. And he answered: I will come up: he that is mine, is thine: my people, thy people: and my horses, thy horses.

8 And he said—Which way, then, shall we go up? And he said—The way of the wilderness of Edom.

And he said: Which way shall we go up? But he answered: By the desert of Edom.

9 Then departed the king of Israel, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom, and went round, a journey of seven days, —and there was no water for the host, nor for the cattle that went with them.

So the king of Israel, and the king of Juda, and the king of Edom went, and they fetched a compass of seven days’ journey, and there was no water for the army, and for the beasts, that followed them.

10 Then said the king of Israel—Alas! for Yahweh hath called these three kings, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.

And the king of Israel said: Alas, alas, alas, the Lord hath gathered us three kings together, to deliver us into the hands of Moab!

11 So Jehoshaphat said—Is there not, here, a prophet of Yahweh, that we may enquire of Yahweh, from him? Then answered one of the servants of the king of Israel, and said, 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 beseech the Lord by him? And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered: Here is Eliseus the son of Saphat, who poured water on the hands of Elias.

12 Then said Jehoshaphat, The word of Yahweh, is with him. So the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom, went down unto him.

And Josaphat said: The word of the Lord is with him. And the king of Israel, and Josaphat king of Juda, and the king of Edom went down to him.

13 And Elisha said unto the king of Israel—What have I and thou in common? get thee unto the prophets of thy father, and unto the prophets of thy mother. But the king of Israel said to him—Nay! for Yahweh hath called together these three kings, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.

And Eliseus said to the king of Israel: What have I to do with thee? go to the prophets of thy father, and thy mother. And the king of Israel said to him: Why hath the Lord gathered together these three kings, to deliver them into the hands of Moab?

14 Then said Elisha—By the life of Yahweh of hosts, before whom I stand, were it not that, the countenance of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would lift up, I would neither look at thee, nor see thee.

And Eliseus said to him: As the Lord of hosts liveth, in whose sight I stand, if I did not reverence the face of Josaphat king of Juda, I would not have hearkened to thee, nor looked on thee.

15 But, now, bring me one that can touch the strings. For it used to be, when the player touched the strings, then would, the hand of Yahweh, be upon him.

But now bring me hither a minstrel. And when the minstrel played, the hand of the Lord came upon him, and he said:

16 Then said he, Thus, saith Yahweh, Make, in this torrent-bed, pits, pits!

Thus saith the Lord: Make the channel of this torrent full of ditches.

17 For, thus, saith Yahweh—Ye shall not see wind, and ye shall not see rain, yet, that torrent-bed, shall be filled with water, —And ye shall drink, ye, and your cattle, and your beasts;

For thus saith the Lord: You shall not see wind, nor rain: and yet this channel shall be filled with waters, and you shall drink, you and your families, and your beasts.

18 And, this being a small thing in the eyes of Yahweh, he will deliver Moab into your hand;

And this is a small thing in the sight of the Lord: moreover he will deliver also Moab into your hands.

19 And ye shall smite every strong city, and every choice city, and, every goodly tree, shall ye fell, and, all fountains water, shall ye close up, —and, every goodly heritage, shall ye mar with stones.

And you shall destroy every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall cut down every fruitful tree, and shall stop up all the springs of waters, and every goodly field you shall cover with stones.

20 And it came to pass, in the morning, when the offering ascended, that lo! waters, were coming in from the way of Edom, —and the land was filled with the water.

And it came to pass in the morning, when the sacrifices used to be offered, that behold, water came by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.

21 Now, all Moab, had heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, —so they came together, from all who could gird on a girdle and upwards, and took their stand at the border.

And all the Moabites hearing that the kings were come up to fight against them, gathered together all that were girded with a belt upon them, and stood in the borders.

22 And, when they rose early in the morning, the sun, shone forth upon the waters, —and so the Moabites beheld over against them, the waters, red as blood.

And they rose early in the morning, and the sun being now up, and shining upon the waters, the Moabites saw the waters over against them red, like blood,

23 They said therefore—Blood, —this! Destroyed! The kings have destroyed each other! Yea they have smitten every man his neighbour, —Now, then, to the spoil, O Moab!

And they said: It is the blood of the sword: the kings have fought among themselves, and they have killed one another: go now, Moab, to the spoils.

24 And, when they came into the camp of Israel, Israel arose and smote Moab, and they fled from before them, —so they entered thereinto, yea still farther entered Moab;

And they went into the camp of Israel: but Israel rising up defeated Moab, who fled before them. And they being conquerors, went and smote Moab.

25 And, the cities, they pulled down, and, on every goodly heritage, they cast every man his stone, and filled it, and, all fountains of waters, they closed up, and, every goodly tree, they felled, and, though they left the stones thereof in Kir-haraseth, yet the slingers surrounded and smote it.

And they destroyed the cities: and they filled every goodly field, every man casting his stone: and they stopt up all the springs of waters: and cut down all the trees that bore fruit, so that brick walls only remained: and the city was beset by the slingers, and a great part thereof destroyed.

26 And, when the king of Moab saw that, the battle, prevailed against him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through against the king of Edom, but they could not.

And when the king of Moab saw this, to wit, that the enemies had prevailed, he took with him seven hundred men that drew the sword, to break in upon the king of Edom: but they could not.

27 So he took his firstborn son who was to have reigned in his stead, and offered him up as an ascending-sacrifice upon the wall. And so it came to pass that there was great indignation against Israel. And they brake up from against him, and returned to their own land.

Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall: and there was great indignation in Israel, and presently they departed from him, and returned into their own country.