以色列与摩押争战

犹大王约沙法执政第十八年,亚哈的儿子约兰在撒玛利亚登基做以色列王,执政十二年。 他做耶和华视为恶的事,不过没有他父母那么败坏,因为他除掉了他父亲立的巴力神柱。 可是他沉溺于尼八的儿子耶罗波安所犯的罪恶,使以色列人陷入罪中。

摩押王米沙以牧羊为业,每年向以色列王进贡十万只公绵羊的羊毛和十万只羊羔。 亚哈死后,米沙背叛了以色列王。 那时,约兰从撒玛利亚出发,召集以色列全军。 他还派人去对犹大王约沙法说:“摩押王背叛了我,你肯和我一起去攻打摩押吗?”约沙法回复说:“我肯去。你我不分彼此,我的军队就是你的军队,我的战马就是你的战马。 我们从哪一条路进攻呢?”约兰答道:“从以东的旷野。”

于是,以色列王跟犹大王和以东王联合出兵。他们绕道行了七天,军队和随行的牲畜都没有水喝了。 10 以色列王叫道:“唉!怎么办呢?耶和华招聚我们三王,是要把我们交给摩押王!” 11 约沙法说:“这里有没有耶和华的先知?我们可以托他求问耶和华。”以色列王的一个臣仆答道:“沙法的儿子以利沙在这里,以前他是以利亚的助手。” 12 约沙法说:“耶和华会借他说话。”于是以色列王、犹大王和以东王一起去见以利沙。

13 以利沙对以色列王说:“我与你有什么关系?你去问你父母的先知吧!”以色列王说:“不要这样说,耶和华招聚我们三王,是要把我们交给摩押王!” 14 以利沙说:“我事奉的是永活的万军之耶和华,我凭祂起誓,若不是看犹大王约沙法的情面,我决不理你,也不会见你。 15 现在你们给我找一个琴师来。”琴师弹琴的时候,耶和华的灵降在以利沙身上, 16 他说:“耶和华吩咐你们要在这山谷中到处挖沟, 17 因为耶和华说,‘你们虽不见风,也不见雨,但这谷中必到处有水,人畜都会有水喝。’ 18 这对耶和华来说是微不足道的事,祂还要把摩押人交在你们手中。 19 你们必攻陷所有的坚城重镇,砍倒各种佳美的树木,堵塞所有水泉,用石头毁坏一切良田。” 20 次日早晨,约在献祭的时候,水从以东流来,遍地都是水。

21 摩押人听说三王联军进攻他们,于是把凡能打仗的,不论老少都聚集起来,把守在边界上。 22 第二天早晨,日光照在水面上,摩押人起来后,看见对面的水像血一样红, 23 便说:“那是血啊!一定是三王内讧,自相残杀。弟兄们,我们去抢财物吧!” 24 他们到了以色列营,以色列人奋起迎战,杀得他们转身逃跑。以色列人乘胜追击,杀入摩押境内,击杀摩押人, 25 摧毁城邑,人人抛掷石头填满所有良田,堵塞一切水泉,砍倒各种佳美树木。摩押境内仅剩的吉珥·哈列设城也遭到甩石的士兵围攻。 26 摩押王见战事不利,就率领七百名刀兵,企图从以东王那边突围,但没有成功。 27 于是,他在城上将本应继承自己王位的长子杀掉,献为燔祭。以色列人感到非常恐惧[a],便退兵回国了。

以利沙帮助穷寡妇

有一个先知的妻子哀求以利沙说:“你仆人——我丈夫怎样敬畏耶和华,你是知道的。如今他去世了,债主来取我的两个孩子做奴隶。” 以利沙问她:“我该怎样帮你呢?告诉我,你家里有什么?”妇人答道:“婢女家什么也没有,只有一瓶油。” 以利沙说:“你去向所有的邻居借空器皿,要尽量多借一些。 然后回家关上门,你和你儿子在屋里把那瓶油倒在所有借来的器皿中,装满的放在一边。” 于是,妇人辞别以利沙,回去后把自己和儿子关在屋里,儿子递给她器皿,她就倒油。 器皿都装满了,她对儿子说:“再拿个器皿给我。”儿子说:“已经没有了。”这时,油止住了。 妇人将经过告诉上帝的仆人,上帝的仆人对她说:“你去把油卖了还债,你们母子可以用剩下的钱度日。”

以利沙和书念妇人

一天,以利沙路过书念,那里一位富有的妇人挽留他吃饭。此后以利沙每次路过那里,总到她家里吃饭。 那妇人对丈夫说:“我看常路过我们这里的这位是上帝圣洁的仆人。他常路过我们这里, 10 不如我们在房顶上给他盖一间小屋,里面放床、桌子、椅子和灯。这样,他来我们家时,可以在那里休息。”

11 一天,以利沙又到了那里,便在那间小屋里休息。 12 以利沙吩咐仆人基哈西去请书念的妇人。她来了,站在以利沙面前。 13 以利沙吩咐基哈西说:“你对她说,‘你为我们费了不少心,我们该为你做些什么呢?要不要我们在王或元帅面前为你说些好话呢?’”她答道:“我在本族中安居无事。” 14 以利沙问基哈西:“我们能为她做什么呢?”基哈西说:“她没有儿子,丈夫也已经老了。” 15 以利沙说:“你再去请她来。”她来了,站在门口。 16 以利沙对她说:“明年这时候,你必抱一个儿子。”她说:“上帝的仆人,我主啊,不要骗我。” 17 那妇人果然怀了孕,在第二年的那时候生了一个儿子,应验了以利沙对她说的话。

18 孩子渐渐长大。一天,他到收割的人那里找他父亲。 19 突然,他对他父亲喊道:“我的头啊!我的头啊!”他父亲见状,立刻吩咐仆人抱他到他母亲那里。 20 仆人把他抱起来,送到他母亲那里。孩子坐在母亲的膝上,到中午就死了。 21 他母亲上楼把他放在上帝仆人的床上,关上门出来。 22 她叫来丈夫,对他说:“请你预备一个仆人和一头驴,我好赶快去见上帝的仆人,然后返回来。” 23 她丈夫说:“今天不是朔日[b],也不是安息日,你为什么要去见他?”妇人说:“平安无事。” 24 她骑上驴,对仆人说:“快走吧!我不吩咐你,就不要慢下来。”

25 她就去迦密山见上帝的仆人。上帝的仆人远远望见她,就对仆人基哈西说:“你看,书念的妇人来了! 26 你跑去迎接她,问问她和她的丈夫与孩子都好吗。”

妇人对以利沙的仆人说:“一切都好。”

27 可是,她上山见到上帝的仆人后,就抱住他的脚。基哈西想要推开她,但上帝的仆人说:“由她吧!因为她心里非常痛苦。耶和华没有告诉我发生了什么事。” 28 妇人说:“我何尝向我主求过儿子呢?我不是对你说不要骗我吗?” 29 以利沙吩咐基哈西:“你要束上腰带,拿着我的杖去她家。路上不论遇见谁,都不要问候他。有人问候你,也不要作答。去把我的杖放在孩子脸上。” 30 孩子的母亲说:“我凭永活的耶和华和你的性命起誓,你若不同去,我决不离开你。”于是,以利沙跟她同去。 31 基哈西先赶到,把杖放在孩子脸上,可是孩子一点动静也没有。他就回去找以利沙,路上碰见他,便说:“孩子还没醒过来。”

32 以利沙进了屋子,看见孩子死了,躺在床上, 33 就关上门,向耶和华祈祷。 34 祷告后,他上床伏在孩子身上,口对口,眼对眼,手对手,孩子的身体渐渐变暖了。 35 然后,以利沙起来在房内来回走了一趟,又上床伏在孩子身上。孩子打了七个喷嚏,便睁开了眼睛。 36 以利沙叫基哈西请那妇人来。妇人来了,以利沙对她说:“把你儿子抱走吧。” 37 妇人进来,在以利沙脚前下拜,然后抱起儿子出去了。

Footnotes

  1. 3:27 非常恐惧”希伯来文是“大怒”,含“恶心、恐惧”之意。
  2. 4:23 朔日”即每月初一。

Moab Revolts

Joram[a](A) son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years. He did evil(B) in the eyes of the Lord, but not as his father(C) and mother had done. He got rid of the sacred stone(D) of Baal that his father had made. Nevertheless he clung to the sins(E) of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.

Now Mesha king of Moab(F) raised sheep, and he had to pay the king of Israel a tribute of a hundred thousand lambs(G) and the wool of a hundred thousand rams. But after Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled(H) against the king of Israel. So at that time King Joram set out from Samaria and mobilized all Israel. He also sent this message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight(I) against Moab?”

“I will go with you,” he replied. “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”

“By what route shall we attack?” he asked.

“Through the Desert of Edom,” he answered.

So the king of Israel set out with the king of Judah and the king of Edom.(J) After a roundabout march of seven days, the army had no more water for themselves or for the animals with them.

10 “What!” exclaimed the king of Israel. “Has the Lord called us three kings together only to deliver us into the hands of Moab?”

11 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here, through whom we may inquire(K) of the Lord?”

An officer of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha(L) son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.[b](M)

12 Jehoshaphat said, “The word(N) of the Lord 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, “Why do you want to involve me? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother.”

“No,” the king of Israel answered, “because it was the Lord who called us three kings together to deliver us into the hands of Moab.”

14 Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, if I did not have respect for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not pay any attention to you. 15 But now bring me a harpist.”(O)

While the harpist was playing, the hand(P) of the Lord came on Elisha 16 and he said, “This is what the Lord says: I will fill this valley with pools of water. 17 For this is what the Lord says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water,(Q) and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. 18 This is an easy(R) thing in the eyes of the Lord; he will also deliver Moab into your hands. 19 You will overthrow every fortified city and every major town. You will cut down every good tree, stop up all the springs, and ruin every good field with stones.”

20 The next morning, about the time(S) for offering the sacrifice, there it was—water flowing from the direction of Edom! And the land was filled with water.(T)

21 Now all the Moabites had heard that the kings had come to fight against them; so every man, young and old, who could bear arms was called up and stationed on the border. 22 When they got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water. To the Moabites across the way, the water looked red—like blood. 23 “That’s blood!” they said. “Those kings must have fought and slaughtered each other. Now to the plunder, Moab!”

24 But when the Moabites came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and fought them until they fled. And the Israelites invaded the land and slaughtered the Moabites. 25 They destroyed the towns, and each man threw a stone on every good field until it was covered. They stopped up all the springs and cut down every good tree. Only Kir Hareseth(U) was left with its stones in place, but men armed with slings surrounded it and attacked it.

26 When the king of Moab saw that the battle had gone against him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom, but they failed. 27 Then he took his firstborn(V) son, who was to succeed him as king, and offered him as a sacrifice on the city wall. The fury against Israel was great; they withdrew and returned to their own land.

The Widow’s Olive Oil

The wife of a man from the company(W) of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor(X) is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.”

Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?”

“Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.”(Y)

Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.”

She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.”

But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing.

She went and told the man of God,(Z) and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”

The Shunammite’s Son Restored to Life

One day Elisha went to Shunem.(AA) And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. She said to her husband, “I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. 10 Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay(AB) there whenever he comes to us.”

11 One day when Elisha came, he went up to his room and lay down there. 12 He said to his servant Gehazi, “Call the Shunammite.”(AC) So he called her, and she stood before him. 13 Elisha said to him, “Tell her, ‘You have gone to all this trouble for us. Now what can be done for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?’”

She replied, “I have a home among my own people.”

14 “What can be done for her?” Elisha asked.

Gehazi said, “She has no son, and her husband is old.”

15 Then Elisha said, “Call her.” So he called her, and she stood in the doorway. 16 “About this time(AD) next year,” Elisha said, “you will hold a son in your arms.”

“No, my lord!” she objected. “Please, man of God, don’t mislead your servant!”

17 But the woman became pregnant, and the next year about that same time she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her.

18 The child grew, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the reapers.(AE) 19 He said to his father, “My head! My head!”

His father told a servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 After the servant had lifted him up and carried him to his mother, the boy sat on her lap until noon, and then he died. 21 She went up and laid him on the bed(AF) of the man of God, then shut the door and went out.

22 She called her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and a donkey so I can go to the man of God quickly and return.”

23 “Why go to him today?” he asked. “It’s not the New Moon(AG) or the Sabbath.”

“That’s all right,” she said.

24 She saddled the donkey and said to her servant, “Lead on; don’t slow down for me unless I tell you.” 25 So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel.(AH)

When he saw her in the distance, the man of God said to his servant Gehazi, “Look! There’s the Shunammite! 26 Run to meet her and ask her, ‘Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?’”

“Everything is all right,” she said.

27 When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone! She is in bitter distress,(AI) but the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me why.”

28 “Did I ask you for a son, my lord?” she said. “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t raise my hopes’?”

29 Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tuck your cloak into your belt,(AJ) take my staff(AK) in your hand and run. Don’t greet anyone you meet, and if anyone greets you, do not answer. Lay my staff on the boy’s face.”

30 But the child’s mother said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her.

31 Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or response. So Gehazi went back to meet Elisha and told him, “The boy has not awakened.”

32 When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch.(AL) 33 He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed(AM) to the Lord. 34 Then he got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched(AN) himself out on him, the boy’s body grew warm. 35 Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out on him once more. The boy sneezed seven times(AO) and opened his eyes.(AP)

36 Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, “Call the Shunammite.” And he did. When she came, he said, “Take your son.”(AQ) 37 She came in, fell at his feet and bowed to the ground. Then she took her son and went out.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 3:1 Hebrew Jehoram, a variant of Joram; also in verse 6
  2. 2 Kings 3:11 That is, he was Elijah’s personal servant.

Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.

And he wrought evil in the sight of the Lord; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made.

Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.

And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool.

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

And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel.

And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses.

And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom.

So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days' journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them.

10 And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the Lord hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!

11 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we may enquire of the Lord by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah.

12 And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the Lord is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

13 And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the Lord hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.

14 And Elisha said, As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.

15 But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him.

16 And he said, Thus saith the Lord, Make this valley full of ditches.

17 For thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.

18 And this is but a light thing in the sight of the Lord: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.

19 And ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.

20 And it came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was offered, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.

21 And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood in the border.

22 And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood:

23 And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.

24 And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward smiting the Moabites, even in their country.

25 And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees: only in Kirharaseth left they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it.

26 And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through even unto the king of Edom: but they could not.

27 Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.

Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.

And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.

Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.

And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.

So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.

And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.

Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.

And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.

And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.

10 Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.

11 And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there.

12 And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him.

13 And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people.

14 And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old.

15 And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door.

16 And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.

17 And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.

18 And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.

19 And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother.

20 And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.

21 And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.

22 And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again.

23 And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.

24 Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.

25 So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite:

26 Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well:

27 And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.

28 Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me?

29 Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.

30 And the mother of the child said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her.

31 And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked.

32 And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.

33 He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the Lord.

34 And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.

35 Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.

36 And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son.

37 Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.