2 Kings 3

1 In the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah, Jehoram son of Ahab became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria twelve years.

2 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as his father and mother had done. He removed the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made.

3 Nevertheless, he clung to the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.

4 Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he would render to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams.

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

6 So at that time King Jehoram set out from Samaria and mobilized all Israel.

7 And he sent a message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?” “I will go,” replied Jehoshaphat. “I am as you are, my people are your people, and my horses are your horses.”

8 Then he asked, “Which way shall we go up?” “By way of the Desert of Edom,” replied Joram.

9 So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom set out, and after they had traveled a roundabout route for seven days, they had no water for their army or for their animals.

10 “Alas,” said the king of Israel, “for the LORD has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab!”

11 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the LORD here? Let us inquire of the LORD through him.” And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.”

12 Jehoshaphat affirmed, “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 Elisha, however, said to the king of Israel, “What have we to do with each other? Go to the prophets of your father and of your mother!” “No,” replied the king of Israel, “for it is the LORD who has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”

14 Then Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not for my regard for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you or acknowledge you.

15 But now, bring me a harpist.” And while the harpist played, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha

16 and he said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Dig this valley full of ditches.’

17 For the LORD says, ‘You will not see wind or rain, but the valley will be filled with water, and you will drink—you and your cattle and your animals.’

18 This is a simple matter in the sight of the LORD, and He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand.

19 And you shall attack every fortified city and every city of importance. You shall cut down every good tree, stop up every spring, and ruin every good field with stones.”

20 The next morning, at the time of the morning sacrifice, water suddenly flowed from the direction of Edom and filled the land.

21 Now all the Moabites had heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. So all who could bear arms, young and old, were summoned and stationed at the border.

22 When they got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water, and it looked as red as blood to the Moabites across the way.

23 “This is blood!” they exclaimed. “The kings have clashed swords and slaughtered one another. Now to the plunder, Moab!”

24 But when the Moabites came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and attacked them, and they fled before them. So the Israelites invaded their land and struck down the Moabites.

25 They destroyed the cities, and each man threw stones on every good field until it was covered. They stopped up every spring and cut down every good tree. Only Kir-haraseth was left with stones in place, but men with slings surrounded it and attacked it as well.

26 When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not prevail.

27 So he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him, and offered him as a burnt offering on the city wall. And there was great fury against the Israelites, so they withdrew and returned to their own land.

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

2 And he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made.

3 Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.

4 And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool.

5 But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

6 ¶ And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel.

7 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, [and] my horses as thy horses.

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

9 So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days' journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them.

10 And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!

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

12 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 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 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 a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.

16 And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches.

17 For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.

18 And this is [but] a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.

19 And ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.

20 ¶ And it came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was offered, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.

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

22 And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side [as] red as blood:

23 And they said, This [is] blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.

24 And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward smiting the Moabites, even in [their] country.

25 And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees: only in Kirharaseth left they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about [it], and smote it.

26 And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through [even] unto the king of Edom: but they could not.

27 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 against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to [their own] land.

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

2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as his father and mother did. For he took away the pillar of Baal, which his father had made.

3 But he continued in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin, and departed not from them.

4 And Mesha king of Moab had many flocks, and shewed the king of Israel the wool of an hundred thousand lambs, and of an hundred thousand rams.

5 And when Ahab was dead, the king of Moab fell away from the king of Israel.

6 And Jehoram king of Samaria went out at that time, and put all Israel in order.

7 And he sent to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab is departed from me: come with me to fight against Moab. And he said: I will come up; I am as thou art, and my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses.

8 And he said, By what way shall we go up? And he said, By the way of the wilderness of Edom.

9 So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom. And when they went seven days' journey, the host and the cattle that were among them had no water.

10 And the king of Israel said, O woe! The LORD hath charged these three kings, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.

11 And Jehoshaphat said: Is there no prophet of the LORD here, that we should seek counsel of the LORD by him? And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah.

12 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 hast thou to do with me? Go to thy father's prophets, and to thy mother's prophets. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath called these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab.

14 And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, if I looked not upon Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look upon thee, nor regard thee.

15 Bring me therefore a minstrel. And as the minstrel played upon the string, the hand of the Lord came upon him.

16 And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make ditches here and there by this brook.

17 For thus saith the LORD; Ye shall see no wind, neither shall ye see any rain: nevertheless the brook shall be full of water, that ye and your household and your cattle may drink.

18 This is a small 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 chosen city; and ye shall cut down every good tree, and shall stop up every well of water, and shall destroy every good field with stones.

20 And it came to pass in the morning, when they offered meat offerings, that, behold, there came a river of water by the way of Edom, and filled the land with water.

21 And when all Moab heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they called all that were old enough and above in armour, and stood in the border.

22 And when they arose early in the morning, and the sun was risen upon the waters, the Moabites saw the waters red against them as blood;

23 And they said: It is blood; the kings have corrupted themselves with the sword, and one shall have smitten another. Hoi, Moab, make thee now a prey!

24 And when they were come to the camp of Israel, Israel arose, and smote Moab; and they fled before them. But they came in, and smote Moab.

25 And they brake down the cities, and cast every man his stones upon all the good fields, and filled them; and stopped up all the wells of water, and cut down all the good trees, until only the stones remained upon the brick walls: and they compassed them about with slingers, and smote them.

26 And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too strong for him, he took unto him seven hundred men, which drew swords to pluck out against the king of Edom: but they could not.

27 And he took his firstborn son, which was to be king in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And Israel was very wroth, and departed from him, and returned unto the land.