2 Kings 3

1 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.

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.

2 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.

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;

3 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.

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

4 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.

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.

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

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

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

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

7 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.”

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.

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

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

9 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.

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.

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

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

11 But Jehoshaphat said, “Isn’t there a prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire 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.”

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.

12 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.

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.

13 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.”

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.

14 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 toward you, nor see you.

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.

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

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.

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

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

17 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.

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;

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

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

19 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.’”

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.

20 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.

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.

21 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 armor, young and old, and stood on the border.

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.

22 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.

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.

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

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!

24 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.

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;

25 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.

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.

26 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.

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.

27 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.

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.