2 Kings 3

Moab’s Rebellion

1In the eighteenthH8083H6240 yearH8141 of Jehoshaphat’sH3092 reignH4428 over JudahH3063, JehoramH30881 sonH1121 of AhabH256 became kingH4427 ofH5921 IsraelH3478, and he reignedH4427 in SamariaH8111 twelveH8147H6240 yearsH8141. 2And he didH6213 evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LORDH3068, butH7535 notH3808 as his fatherH1 and motherH517 had done. He removedH5493 the sacred pillarH4676 of BaalH1168 thatH834 his fatherH1 had madeH6213.

3NeverthelessH7535, he clungH1692 to the sinsH2403 thatH834 JeroboamH3379 sonH1121 of NebatH5028 had caused IsraelH3478 to commitH2398; he did notH3808 turn awayH5493 from themH4480.

4Now MeshaH4338 kingH4428 of MoabH4124 wasH1961 a sheep breederH5349,2 and he would renderH7725 to the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 a hundredH3967 thousandH505 lambsH3733 and the woolH6785 of a hundredH3967 thousandH505 ramsH352. 5But afterH1961 the deathH4194 of AhabH256, the kingH4428 of MoabH4124 rebelledH6586 against the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478. 6So at thatH1931 timeH3117 KingH4428 JehoramH3088 set outH3318 from SamariaH8111 and mobilizedH6485 allH3605 IsraelH3478. 7And he sentH1980H7971 a message toH413 JehoshaphatH3092 kingH4428 of JudahH3063: “The kingH4428 of MoabH4124 has rebelledH6586 against me. Will you goH1980 with meH854 to fightH4421 againstH413 MoabH4124?”

“I will goH5927,” replied JehoshaphatH559. “IH3644 am as youH3644 are, my peopleH5971 are your peopleH5971, and my horsesH5483 are your horsesH5483.” 8Then he askedH559, “WhichH335 wayH1870 shall we go upH5927?”

“By wayH1870 of the DesertH4057 of EdomH123,” replied JoramH559.

9So the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478, the kingH4428 of JudahH3063, and the kingH4428 of EdomH123 set outH1980, and after they had traveled a roundaboutH5437 routeH1870 for sevenH7651 daysH3117, they had noH3808H1961 waterH4325 for their armyH4264 or for theirH834H7272 animalsH929.

10“AlasH162,” saidH559 the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478, “forH3588 the LORDH3068 has summonedH7121 theseH428 threeH7969 kingsH4428 to deliverH5414 themH853 into the handH3027 of MoabH4124!”

11But JehoshaphatH3092 askedH559, “Is there noH369 prophetH5030 of the LORDH3068 hereH6311? Let us inquireH1875 of the LORDH3068 through himH853.”

And oneH259 of the servantsH5650 of the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478H559 answeredH6030, “ElishaH477 sonH1121 of ShaphatH8202 is hereH6311. He used to pourH3332 waterH4325 onH5921 the handsH3027 of ElijahH452.3”

12JehoshaphatH3092 affirmedH559, “The wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 isH3426 with himH853.” So the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 and JehoshaphatH3092 and the kingH4428 of EdomH123 went downH3381 to himH413.

13Elisha, howeverH477, saidH559 toH413 the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478, “What have we to doH4100 with each other? GoH1980 toH413 the prophetsH5030 of your fatherH1 andH413H5030 of your motherH517!”

“NoH408,” repliedH559 the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478, “forH3588 it is the LORDH3068 who has summonedH7121 theseH428 threeH7969 kingsH4428 to deliverH5414 themH853 into the handH3027 of MoabH4124.”

14Then ElishaH477 saidH559, “As surely as the LORDH3068 of HostsH6635 livesH2416, beforeH6440 whomH834 I standH5975, were it notH3884 for my regardH589H5375 for the presenceH6440 of JehoshaphatH3092 kingH4428 of JudahH3063, I would notH518 lookH5027 at youH413 orH518 acknowledge youH7200. 15But nowH6258, bringH3947 me a harpistH5059.4”

And whileH1961 the harpistH5059 playedH5059, the handH3027 of the LORDH3068 cameH1961 upon ElishaH5921 16and he saidH559, “This is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559: ‘DigH6213 thisH2088 valleyH5158 full of ditchesH1356.’ 17ForH3588H3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559, ‘You will notH3808 seeH7200 windH7307H3808H7200 or rainH1653, but theH1931 valleyH5158 will be filledH4390 with waterH4325, and you will drinkH8354—youH859 and your cattleH4735 and your animalsH929.’ 18ThisH2063 is a simple matterH7043 in the sightH5869 of the LORDH3068, and He will also deliverH5414 the MoabitesH4124 into your handH3027. 19And you shall attackH5221 everyH3605 fortifiedH4013 cityH5892 and everyH3605 cityH5892 of importanceH4004. You shall cut downH5307 everyH3605 goodH2896 treeH6086, stop upH5640 everyH3605 springH4599H4325, and ruinH3510 everyH3605 goodH2896 fieldH2513 with stonesH68.”

20The next morningH1242H1961, at the time of the morning sacrificeH5927H4503, waterH4325 suddenlyH2009 flowedH935 from the directionH1870 of EdomH123 and filledH4390 the landH776.

21Now allH3605 the MoabitesH4124 had heardH8085 thatH3588 the kingsH4428 had come upH5927 to fightH3898 against them. So allH3605 who could bear armsH2296H2290, young and oldH4605, were summonedH6817 and stationedH5975 atH5921 the borderH1366. 22When they got up earlyH7925 in the morningH1242, the sunH8121 was shiningH2224 onH5921 the waterH4325, andH4325 it lookedH7200 as redH122 as bloodH1818 to the MoabitesH4124 across the wayH5048.

23“ThisH2088H2717 is bloodH1818!” they exclaimedH559. “The kingsH4428 have clashed swordsH2717 and slaughteredH5221 oneH376 anotherH7453. NowH6258 to the plunderH7998, MoabH4124!”

24But when the Moabites cameH935 toH413 the campH4264 of IsraelH3478, the IsraelitesH3478 rose upH6965 and attackedH5221 themH4124, and they fledH5127 before themH6440. So the Israelites invadedH935 their land and struck downH5221 the MoabitesH4124. 25They destroyedH2040 the citiesH5892, and each manH376 threwH7993 stonesH68 on everyH3605 goodH2896 fieldH2513 until it was coveredH4390. They stopped upH5640 everyH3605 springH4599H4325 and cut downH5307 everyH3605 goodH2896 treeH6086. OnlyH5704 Kir-harasethH7025 was leftH7604 with stones in placeH68, but men with slingsH7051 surrounded itH5437 and attacked itH5221 as well.

26When the kingH4428 of MoabH4124 sawH7200 thatH3588 the battleH4421 was too fierceH2388 for himH4480, he tookH3947 with himH854 sevenH7651 hundredH3967 swordsmenH376H8025H2719 to break throughH1234 toH413 the kingH4428 of EdomH123, but they could not prevailH3201H3808. 27So he tookH3947 his firstbornH1060 sonH1121, whoH834 was to succeed himH4427H8478, and offered himH5927 as a burnt offeringH5930 onH5921 the city wallH2346.

And there wasH1961 greatH1419 furyH7110 againstH5921 the IsraelitesH3478,5 so they withdrewH5265H5921 and returnedH7725 to their own landH776.