2Kgs 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.
2
And he did that which was evil in the sight of YHWH, but not like his father, and
like his mother; for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made.
3
Nevertheless he cleaved to 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 he rendered to the king of Israel the
wool of a hundred thousand lambs, and of a hundred thousand rams.
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 at that time, and mustered all Israel.
7
And 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? And he said, I will
go up: I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.
8
And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, 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 they
made a circuit of seven days` journey: and there was no water for the host, nor for
the beasts that followed them.
10
And the king of Israel said, Alas! for YHWH has called these three kings together
to deliver them into the hand of Moab.
11
But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of YHWH, that we may inquire of
YHWH 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
And Jehoshaphat said, The word of YHWH is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat
and the king of Edom went down to him.
13
And Elisha said to the king of Israel, What have I to do with you? get you to the
prophets of your father, and to the prophets of your mother. And the king of Israel
said to him, Nay; for YHWH has called these three kings together to deliver them into
the hand of Moab.
14
And Elisha said, As YHWH of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not
that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward
you, nor see you.
15
But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the
hand of YHWH came upon him.
16
And he said, Thus says YHWH, Make this valley full of trenches.
17
For thus says YHWH, You shall not see wind, neither shall you see rain; yet that valley
shall be filled with water, and you shall drink, both you and your cattle and your
beasts.
18
And this is but a light thing in the sight of YHWH: he will also deliver the Moabites
into your hand.
19
And you 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, about the time of offering the oblation, that,
behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.
21
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 armor, and upward,
and stood on the border.
22
And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites
saw the water over against them as red as blood:
23
and they said, This is blood; the kings are surely destroyed, and they have smitten
each man his fellow: 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; and they went forward into the land smiting the Moabites.
25
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 in Kir-hareseth [only] they left its stones; nevertheless
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 sword, to break through to 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 anger against Israel: and
they departed from him, and returned to their own land.