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.

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 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 that which was evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father, and like his mother; for he put away the pillar of Baal that 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 cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.

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 Mesha king of Moab was a sheep-master; and he rendered unto the king of Israel the wool of a hundred thousand lambs, and of a hundred thousand rams.

5 And it came to pass, when Ahab died, that the king of Moab revolted 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 So King Jehoram went forth, on that day, out of Samaria, and numbered all Israel.

And king Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time, 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 went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying: 'The king of Moab hath rebelled 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 as thy people, my horses as 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?' And he answered: 'The way of the wilderness 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 went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom; and they made a circuit of seven days' journey; and there was no water for the host, nor 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! for the LORD hath called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand 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.

But Jehoshaphat said: 'Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may inquire of the LORD by him?' And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said: 'Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.'

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 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 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 Elisha said unto the king of Israel: 'What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother.' And the king of Israel said unto him: 'Nay; for the LORD hath called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand 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 Elisha said: 'As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see 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 a minstrel.' And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.

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

And he said: 'Thus saith the LORD: Make this valley full of trenches.

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: Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain, yet that valley shall be filled with water; and ye shall drink, both ye and your cattle 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 but a light thing in the sight of the LORD; He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand.

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 ye shall smite every fortified city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all fountains of water, and mar every good piece of land 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, about the time of making the offering, that, behold, there came water 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.

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

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 up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water some way off as red as 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: 'This is blood: the kings have surely fought together, and they have smitten each man his fellow; now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.'

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 when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them. And they smote the land, even Moab, mightily.

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 beat down the cities; and on every good piece of land they cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the fountains of water, and felled all the good trees; until there was left only Kir-hareseth with the stones of the wall thereof; so the slingers encompassed it, and smote it.

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 that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew sword, to break through unto 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 came great wrath upon Israel; and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.