2 Kings 3
3
Jehoram Meets Moab Rebellion
1Jehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the #See note 1:17.eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. 2He did evil in the sight of the Lord, but not like his father and mother; for he put away the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made. 3Nevertheless, he continued in the [idolatrous] sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin; he did not depart from them.
4 # This name of the king of Moab occurs in the first line of the Moabite Stone. In that inscription the Moabite king mentions his successes against Omri and Omri’s successor (1 Kin 16:23). Mesha the king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he used to pay [an annual tribute] to the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. 5But when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 6So King Jehoram left Samaria at that time and assembled all [the fighting men of] Israel. 7Then he went and sent word 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 replied, “I will go; I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” 8Jehoram said, “Which way shall we go up?” Jehoshaphat answered, “The way through the Wilderness of Edom.”
9So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. They made a circuit of seven days’ journey, but there was no water for the army or for the cattle that followed them. 10Then the king of Israel said, “We are doomed, for the Lord has called these three kings to be handed over to Moab.” 11But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here from whom we may inquire of the Lord?” One of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who #A Hebrew idiom meaning that one person personally served another.used to pour water over Elijah’s hands.” 12Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the Lord is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to Elisha.
13Now Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What business do you have with me? Go to the prophets of your [wicked] father [Ahab] and to the prophets of your [pagan] mother [Jezebel].” But the king of Israel said to him, “No, for the Lord has called these three kings together to be handed over to Moab.” 14Elisha said, “As the Lord of hosts (armies) lives, before whom I stand, were it not that I have regard for Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you nor see you [king of Israel]. 15But now bring me a musician.” And it came about while the musician played, that the hand (power) of the Lord came upon Elisha. 16He said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Make this valley (the Arabah) full of trenches.’ 17For thus says the Lord, ‘You will not see wind or rain, yet that valley will be filled with water, so you and your cattle and your other animals may drink. 18This is but a simple thing in the sight of the Lord; He will also hand over the Moabites to you. 19You shall strike every fortified city and every choice (principal) city, and cut down every good tree and stop up all sources of water, and ruin every good piece of land with stones.’ ” 20It happened in the morning, when the sacrifice was offered, that suddenly water came [miraculously] from the area of Edom, and the country was filled with water.
21Now all the Moabites heard that the [three] kings had come up to fight against them, and all #I.e. the young and able.who were able to put on armor, as well as those who were older, were summoned and stood [together in battle formation] at the border. 22When they got up early the next morning, the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water across from them as red as blood. 23And they said, “This is blood! Clearly the kings have fought together, and have killed one another. Now then, Moab, to the spoil [and the plunder of the dead soldiers]!” 24But 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, killing the Moabites [as they went]. 25They destroyed the [walls of the] cities, and each man threw a stone on every piece of good land, covering it [with stones]. And they stopped up all the springs of water and cut down all the good trees, until they left nothing in Kir-hareseth [Moab’s capital city] but its stones. Then the [stone] slingers surrounded the city and destroyed it. 26When 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. 27Then the king of Moab took his #I.e. the crown prince.eldest son, who was to reign in his place, and #This terrible act of human sacrifice did nothing to mitigate or reverse Israel’s victory over Mesha and the Moabites.offered him [publicly] as a burnt offering [to Chemosh] on the [city] wall [horrifying everyone]. And there was great wrath against Israel, and Israel’s allies [Judah and Edom] withdrew from King Jehoram and returned to their own land.
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2 Kings 3
3
King Joram of Israel
1Joram,#3:1 In the Masoretic Text this king of Israel is also called Jehoram, a longer form of Joram. son of Ahab, became king of Israel in Samaria during Jehoshaphat’s eighteenth year as king of Judah. He ruled for 12 years. 2He did what the Lord considered evil, but he didn’t do what his father or mother had done. He put away the sacred stone that his father had set up and dedicated to Baal. 3But he would not give up the sins that Jeroboam (Nebat’s son) led Israel to commit. Joram would not turn away from those sins.
King Mesha of Moab Defeated
4King Mesha of Moab raised sheep. ⌞Each year⌟ he had to pay the king of Israel 100,000 male lambs and the wool from 100,000 rams. 5But when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the ⌞new⌟ king of Israel. 6King Joram immediately left Samaria to prepare Israel’s army for war. 7He sent this message to King Jehoshaphat of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you fight Moab with me?”
Jehoshaphat answered, “I’ll go. I will do what you do. My troops will do what your troops do. My horses will do what your horses do.”
8Joram asked, “Which road should we take?”
Jehoshaphat answered, “The road through the desert of Edom.”
9So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom took an indirect route ⌞to Moab⌟. After seven days they ran out of water for the army and the animals. 10The king of Israel said, “Oh no! The Lord has put the three of us at the mercy of ⌞the people of⌟ Moab.”
11But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of the Lord whom we could ask?”
One of the officials of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha, the son of Shaphat, is here. He used to be Elijah’s assistant.” #3:11 Or “He used to pour water on Elijah’s hands.”
12Jehoshaphat said, “The Lord’s word is with him.” So King Jehoshaphat of Judah, the king of Israel, and the king of Edom went to Elisha.
13Elisha asked the king of Israel, “Why did you come to me? Go to your father’s prophets or your mother’s prophets.”
The king of Israel answered him, “No. The Lord has called the three of us in order to put us at Moab’s mercy.”
14Elisha answered, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord of Armies whom I serve lives, I wouldn’t even bother to look at you or notice you if it weren’t for my respect for King Jehoshaphat of Judah. 15But get me someone to play some music.”
While the musician was playing, the Lord’s power came over Elisha. 16He said, “This is what the Lord says: Make this valley full of ditches. 17You will not see wind or rain, but this valley will be filled with water. You, your cattle, and your other animals will drink. 18The Lord considers that an easy thing to do. In addition, he will put Moab at your mercy. 19You will defeat every walled city and every important city. You will cut down every good tree, seal all the wells, and use rocks to ruin every good piece of land.”
20That is what happened in the morning. At the time of the grain offering, water flowed from Edom and filled the countryside.
21All the people of Moab heard that the kings had come to fight them. So all men old enough to bear arms were called to fight. They stood at the border. 22When the Moabites got up early in the morning as the sun was rising over the water, they saw the water from a distance. It was as red as blood. 23They said, “It’s blood! The kings have been fighting one another and have killed each other. Now, Moabites, let’s take their goods!”
24So when the Moabites came to Israel’s camp, the Israelites attacked them, and they fled from the Israelites. Israel went after the Moabites and defeated them. 25Then Israel tore down the cities, each man throwing rocks on every good field until it was covered. They sealed every well and cut down every good tree. Only the stones ⌞in the walls⌟ of Kir Hareseth were left. Soldiers surrounded Kir Hareseth and attacked it with slings and stones. 26When the king of Moab saw he was losing the battle, he took 700 swordsmen to try to break through to the king of Edom. But they couldn’t do it. 27Then he took his firstborn son, who would have succeeded him as king, and sacrificed him on the wall as a burnt offering. There was bitter anger against the Israelites. So they went home to their own country.
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