2 Kings 3

Modern

Literal

Moab’s Rebellion

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

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

²And 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.

²And he did evil in the eyes of YHWH, but not like his father and mother. For he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made.

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

³Nevertheless, in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had made Israel to sin, he persisted. He did not depart from them.

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

⁴And Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he rendered to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs and a hundred thousand rams, with wool.

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

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

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

⁶And King Jehoram went out at that time from Samaria, and he mustered all Israel.

⁷And 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.”

⁷And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me against Moab to the battle?” And he said, “I will go up. Like me like you, like my people like your people, like my horses like your horses.”

⁸Then he asked, “Which way shall we go up?”

“By way of the Desert of Edom,” replied Joram.

⁸And he said, “Where is this—the way we shall go up?” And he answered, “By the way of the Wilderness of Edom.”

⁹So 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.

⁹And the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom, and they circled around the way seven days, and there was no water for the army and for the animals that were at their feet.

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

¹⁰And the king of Israel said, “Alas! For YHWH has called together these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab!”

¹¹But 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.”^a

¹¹And Jehoshaphat said, “Is not here a prophet of YHWH, that we may inquire of YHWH by him?” And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered and said, “Here is Elisha son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.”

¹²Jehoshaphat 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.

¹²And Jehoshaphat said, “The word of YHWH is with him.” And they went down to him—the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom.

¹³Elisha, 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.”

¹³And Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What is to me and to you? Go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother.” And the king of Israel said to him, “No, for YHWH has called these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”

¹⁴Then 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.

¹⁴And Elisha said, “As YHWH of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely unless I am lifting up the face of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you or see you.

¹⁵But now, bring me a harpist.”^a

And while the harpist played, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha

¹⁵And bring me a harpist.” And it came to pass, at the playing of the harpist, that the hand of YHWH came upon him.

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

¹⁶And he said, “Thus says YHWH, ‘Make this valley of pits and pits.’

¹⁷For 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.’

¹⁷For thus says YHWH, ‘You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain, and that valley shall be filled with water so that you may drink—you and your cattle and your animals.’

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

¹⁸And this is slight in the eyes of YHWH, and He will deliver the Moabites into your hands.

¹⁹And 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.”

¹⁹And you will strike every fortified city and every choice city, and every good tree you will cut down, and every spring of water you will stop up, and every good piece of the land you will ruin with stones.”

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

²⁰And it came to pass in the morning at the ascending of the grain offering, that, behold, waters were coming from the way of Edom, and the land was filled with the waters.

²¹Now 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.

²¹And all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, and they were called together from everyone girding a belt and older, and they stood at the border.

²²When 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.

²²And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun was shining on the waters. And the Moabites saw on the other side the waters, as red as blood.

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

²³And they said, “This is blood! The kings have been utterly destroyed, and they have struck one another. And now to the spoil, Moab!”

²⁴But 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.

²⁴And when they came to the camp of Israel, Israel rose up and struck Moab so that they fled before them. And they came into it and struck down the Moabites.

²⁵They 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.

²⁵And they tore down the cities, and on every good piece of land threw each man a stone and filled it. And all the springs of water they stopped up, and all the good trees they cut down. Yet they left the stones in Kir-haraseth, and the slingers surrounded it and attacked 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 prevail.

²⁶And the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, and he took with him seven hundred men who drew swords to break through to the king of Edom; and they were not able.

²⁷So 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,^a so they withdrew and returned to their own land.

²⁷And he took his eldest son who would have reigned in his place, and he lifted him up as a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel, and they departed from him and returned to the land.