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 He
did that which
was evil in
the LORD’s sight,
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 held to
the sins of
Jeroboam the son
of Nebat, with
which he made
Israel to sin.
He didn’t depart
from them.
4 Now
Mesha king of
Moab was a
sheep breeder; and
he supplied the
king of Israel
with one
hundred thousand lambs
and the wool
of one
hundred thousand rams.
5 But
when Ahab was dead,
the king of
Moab rebelled
against the king
of Israel.
6 King
Jehoram went out
of Samaria at
that time, and
mustered all
Israel.
7 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?”
He said, “I will
go up. I am
as you are,
my people as
your people, my
horses as your
horses.”
8 Then
he said, “Which
way shall we
go up?”
Jehoram answered, “The way
of the wilderness
of Edom.”
9 So
the king of
Israel went with
the king of
Judah and the
king of Edom, and
they marched for
seven days along
a circuitous route.
There was no
water for the
army or for
the animals that
followed them.
10 The
king of Israel
said, “Alas! For
the LORD has
called these three
kings together to
deliver them into
the hand of
Moab.”
11 But
Jehoshaphat said, “Isn’t
there a prophet
of the LORD
here, that we
may inquire of
the LORD by
him?”
One of the
king of Israel’s
servants answered, “Elisha
the son of
Shaphat, who
poured water on
the hands
of Elijah, is
here.”
12 Jehoshaphat
said, “The LORD’s
word is with
him.” So the
king of Israel
and Jehoshaphat
and the king
of Edom went down
to him.
13 Elisha
said to the
king of Israel, “What
have I to
do with you?
Go to the
prophets of
your father, and
to the prophets
of your mother.”
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.”
14 Elisha said, “As
the LORD of
Armies lives,
before whom I
stand, surely,
were it not
that I respect
the presence of
Jehoshaphat the
king of Judah,
I would not
look toward you,
nor see you.
15 But
now bring me
a musician.” When
the musician
played, the LORD’s
hand came on
him.
16 He said, “The
LORD says, ‘Make
this valley full
of trenches.’
17 For
the LORD says, ‘You
will not see
wind, neither will
you see rain,
yet that valley
will be filled
with water, and
you will drink,
both you and your
livestock and your
other animals.
18 This
is an easy
thing in the
LORD’s sight. He
will also deliver
the Moabites into
your hand.
19 You
shall strike every
fortified city and
every choice city,
and shall fell
every good tree,
and stop all
springs of water,
and mar every
good piece of
land with stones.’ ”
20 In
the morning, about
the time of
offering the
sacrifice, behold,
water came by
the way of Edom,
and the country
was filled with
water.
21 Now
when all the
Moabites heard
that the kings
had come up
to fight against
them, they
gathered themselves
together, all who
were able to put
on armor, young
and old, and
stood on the
border.
22 They
rose up early
in the morning,
and the sun
shone on the
water, and the
Moabites saw the
water opposite
them as red as
blood.
23 They said,
“This is blood.
The kings are
surely destroyed,
and they have
struck each other.
Now therefore,
Moab, to the
plunder!”
24 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 attacking
the Moabites.
25 They
beat down the
cities; and on
every good piece
of land each
man cast his stone,
and filled it.
They also stopped
all the springs
of water and
cut down all
the good trees,
until in Kir Hareseth
all they left
was its stones; however
the men armed
with slings went
around it and
attacked it.
26 When
the king of
Moab saw that
the battle was
too severe for
him, he took
with him seven
hundred men who
drew a sword,
to break through
to the king
of Edom; but they
could not.
27 Then
he took his
oldest son who
would have reigned
in his place,
and offered him
for a burnt
offering on the
wall. There was
great wrath
against Israel;
and they departed
from him, and
returned to their
own land.