II Kings 3
3
Moab Rebels Against Israel
1Now #2 Kin. 1:17Jehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel at Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. 2And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, but not like his father and mother; for he put away the sacred pillar of Baal #1 Kin. 16:31, 32that his father had made. 3Nevertheless he persisted in #1 Kin. 12:28–32the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin; he did not depart from them.
4Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheepbreeder, and he #2 Sam. 8:2regularly paid the king of Israel one hundred thousand #Is. 16:1, 2lambs and the wool of one hundred thousand rams. 5But it happened, when #2 Kin. 1:1Ahab died, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
6So King Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time and mustered all Israel. 7Then he went and sent to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?”
And he said, “I will go up; #1 Kin. 22:4I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” 8Then he said, “Which way shall we go up?”
And he answered, “By way of the Wilderness of Edom.”
9So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom, and they marched on that roundabout route seven days; and there was no water for the army, nor for the animals that followed them. 10And the king of Israel said, “Alas! For the Lord has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”
11But #1 Kin. 22:7Jehoshaphat said, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of the Lord by him?”
So one of the servants of the king of Israel answered and said, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who #1 Kin. 19:21; (John 13:4, 5, 13, 14)poured water on the hands of Elijah.”
12And Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the Lord is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom #2 Kin. 2:25went down to him.
13Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, #(Ezek. 14:3)“What have I to do with you? #Judg. 10:14; Ruth 1:15Go to #1 Kin. 22:6–11the prophets of your father and the #1 Kin. 18:19prophets of your mother.”
But 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.”
14And Elisha said, #1 Kin. 17:1; 2 Kin. 5:16“As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you, nor see you. 15But now bring me #1 Sam. 10:5a musician.”
Then it happened, when the musician #1 Sam. 16:16, 23; 1 Chr. 25:1played, that #Ezek. 1:3; 3:14, 22; 8:1the hand of the Lord came upon him. 16And he said, “Thus says the Lord: #Jer. 14:3‘Make this valley full of ditches.’ 17For thus says the Lord: ‘You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your animals may drink.’ 18And this is a simple matter in the sight of the Lord; He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand. 19Also you shall attack every fortified city and every choice city, and shall cut down every good tree, and stop up every spring of water, and ruin every good piece of land with stones.”
20Now it happened in the morning, when #Ex. 29:39, 40the grain offering was offered, that suddenly water came by way of Edom, and the land was filled with water.
21And when all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, all who were able to bear arms and older were gathered; and they stood at the border. 22Then they rose up early in the morning, and the sun was shining on the water; and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood. 23And they said, “This is blood; the kings have surely struck swords and have killed one another; now therefore, Moab, to the spoil!”
24So when they came to the camp of Israel, Israel rose up and attacked the Moabites, so that they fled before them; and they entered their land, killing the Moabites. 25Then they destroyed the cities, and each man threw a stone on every good piece of land and filled it; and they stopped up all the springs of water and cut down all the good trees. But they left the stones of #Is. 16:7, 11; Jer. 48:31, 36Kir Haraseth intact. However the slingers surrounded and attacked it.
26And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not. 27Then #(Deut. 18:10; Amos 2:1; Mic. 6:7)he took his eldest son who would have reigned in his place, and offered him as a burnt offering upon the wall; and there was great indignation against Israel. #2 Kin. 8:20So they departed from him and returned to their own land.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
2 Kings 3
3
Moab’s rebellion
1Joram,#3.1 Heb Jehoram (also in 3:6); the king’s name is variously spelled in either long Jehoram or short Joram form. Ahab’s son, became king of Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, Judah’s king. He ruled for twelve years. 2He did what was evil in the LORD’s eyes, but he wasn’t as bad as his father and mother. He removed the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made. 3But he nevertheless clung to the sins that Jeroboam, Nebat’s son, had caused Israel to commit. He didn’t deviate from them.
4Now Moab’s King Mesha kept sheep. He would pay Israel’s king one hundred thousand lambs and the wool from one hundred thousand rams. 5But when Ahab died, Moab’s king rebelled against Israel’s king. 6So King Joram set out from Samaria at once. He prepared all Israel for war. 7He sent word to Judah’s King Jehoshaphat, “Moab’s king has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?”
Jehoshaphat responded, “Yes, I’ll go. We’ll fight as one: you and I, our troops and our horses.”
8“Which road should we take?” Joram asked.
Jehoshaphat responded, “The road that goes through the Edomite wilderness.”
9So Israel’s and Judah’s kings set out with the king of Edom. They marched around for seven days until there was no water left for the army or for the animals with them. 10Israel’s king said, “This is terrible! Has the LORD brought us three kings together only to hand us over to Moab?”
11Jehoshaphat said, “Isn’t there any prophet of the LORD around, so we could question the LORD through him?”
One of the servants of Israel’s king answered, “Elisha, Shaphat’s son, is here. He used to pour water on Elijah’s hands.”
12Jehoshaphat said, “He has the LORD’s word!” So Israel’s king and Jehoshaphat and Edom’s king went down to see Elisha.
13Elisha said to Israel’s king, “What do we have to do with each other? Go to your father’s or mother’s prophets.”
Then Israel’s king said to him, “Don’t say that, because it is the LORD who has brought us three kings together—but only to hand us over to Moab!”
14Elisha said, “I swear by the life of the LORD of heavenly forces, the one I stand before and serve, if I didn’t care about Judah’s King Jehoshaphat, I wouldn’t notice you or even look at you! 15Now bring me a musician.” While the musician played, the LORD’s power came over Elisha. 16He said, “This is what the LORD says: This valley will be filled with pools.#3.16 LXX, Vulg Fill this valley with ditches. 17This is what the LORD says: You won’t see any wind or rain, but that valley will be full of water. Then you’ll be able to drink—you, your cattle, and your animals. 18This is easy for the LORD to do. He will also hand Moab over to you. 19You will then attack every fort and every grand city, cutting down all the good trees, stopping up all the springs, and ruining the good fields with stones.”
20The next morning, at the time to offer the grain offering, water came flowing from the direction of Edom. The land filled up with water.
21Now all the Moabites had heard how these kings had come to fight against them. So all who were able to fight were summoned, and they took up positions along the border. 22They got up early in the morning as the sun’s rays shone on the water. The Moabites saw the water from a distance. It looked as red as blood. 23They said, “It’s blood! The kings must have fought each other and killed themselves! Now get the plunder, Moab!”
24But when they entered Israel’s camp, the Israelites rose up and attacked the Moabites. The Moabites fled from them. Israel moved forward, striking the Moabites down as they went.#3.24 Heb uncertain 25Then the Israelites destroyed the Moabite cities. Each Israelite threw a stone on every piece of good land until it was covered. They stopped up every spring and cut down every good tree. Only Kir-hareseth remained with its stone wall intact,#3.25 Heb uncertain but then stone throwers#3.25 Heb uncertain surrounded it and attacked it.
26Moab’s king saw that he was losing the battle. So he took seven hundred soldiers with him, each with sword in hand, to break through to Edom’s king. But they failed. 27Then he took his oldest son, who was to succeed him as king, and he offered him on the wall as an entirely burned offering. As a result, outrage was expressed by Israel. So they pulled back from Moab’s king and returned to their own country.
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