2 Kings 3
Modern English Version
Jehoram Reigns Over Israel
3 Now Jehoram son of Ahab reigned over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah and reigned twelve years. 2 He did evil in the sight of the Lord, but not like his father and mother, for he removed the pillar of Baal that his father had made. 3 Nevertheless he clung to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin. He did not depart from them.
4 Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep-breeder and gave back to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams. 5 But when Ahab died, 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 to Moab to battle?”
He said, “I will go up. I am as you are, my people as your people, and my horses as your horses.”
8 Then he said, “Which way should we go up?”
And he said, “The way through the Wilderness of Edom.”
9 So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom went, and they marched around seven days. But there was no water for the camp or for the livestock that followed them.
10 The king of Israel said, “Alas! The Lord has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab!”
11 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there a prophet of the Lord here, through whom we may inquire of the Lord?”
Then 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 word 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, “What have I to do with you? Go to your father’s prophets, or to your mother’s prophets.”
Then the king of Israel said to him, “No. The Lord has called these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”
14 Elisha said, “As the Lord of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not for my regard for Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look at you nor see you. 15 Now bring me a musician.”
And when the musician played, the hand of the Lord came upon him. 16 He said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Make this valley full of pools.’ 17 For thus says the Lord, ‘You will not see wind, nor will you see rain, yet that valley will be filled with water, that you may drink, both you and your livestock, and your cattle.’ 18 This is an easy thing in the sight of the Lord, and He will give the Moabites into your hand. 19 You will strike every fortified city and every choice city, and will cut down every good tree, and stop every spring of water, and you will ruin every good piece of land with stones.”
20 So in the morning as the offering was offered up, suddenly water flowed from the way of Edom, and the land was filled with water.
21 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 summoned and stood at the border. 22 They got up early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water opposite them was as red as blood. 23 Then they said, “This is blood. The kings have surely fought together; and they have killed one another. Now therefore, Moab, to the spoil!”
24 When they came to the camp of Israel, the children of Israel arose and struck the Moabites, so that they ran from them. And they went forward into their land, killing the Moabites. 25 They demolished the cities, and on every good piece of land every man threw a stone and filled it with stones, and they stopped every spring of water and cut down every good tree. Only in Kir Hareseth did the stones in the wall remain, until the slingers surrounded it and struck it.
26 When the king of Moab saw that the battle was overwhelming him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom, but they were unable. 27 Then he took his firstborn son, who would have reigned in his place, and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall. And great wrath came upon Israel, and they departed from him and returned to their own land.
2 Kings 3
Revised Geneva Translation
3 Now Jehoram, the son of Ahab, began to reign over Israel in Samaria, in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and reigned for twelve years.
2 And he worked evil in the sight of the LORD, but not like his father or like his mother. For he took away the image of Baal that his father had made.
3 Nevertheless, he clung to the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin, and did not depart from them.
4 Then Mesha, king of Moab, had store of sheep and rendered a hundred thousand rams to the king of Israel, with the wool.
5 But after Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
6 Therefore, King Jehoram went out of Samaria in the same season, and counted all Israel.
7 And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to battle against Moab?” And he answered, “I will go up. I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”
8 Then he said, “What way shall we go up?” And he answered, “The way of the wilderness of Edom.”
9 So went the king of Israel and the king of Judah and the king of Edom. And after they had traveled on the way for seven days, they had no water for the army or for the cattle that followed them.
10 Therefore the king of Israel said, “Alas! For the LORD has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab!”
11 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not here a Prophet of the LORD, so that we may inquire of the LORD by him?” And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered, and said, “Here is Elisha, the son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.”
12 Then Jehoshaphat said, “The Word of the LORD is with him.” Therefore, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
13 And 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.” And the king of Israel said to him, “No. For the LORD has called these three kings, to give them into the hand of Moab.”
14 Then Elisha said, “As the LORD of Hosts lives, in Whose sight I stand, if it were not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, I would not have looked toward you, nor seen you.
15 “But now, bring me a minstrel.” And when the minstrel played, the Hand of the LORD came upon him.
16 And he said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Make this valley full of ditches.’
17 “For thus says the LORD: ‘You shall neither see wind nor see rain. Yet the valley shall be filled with water, so that you may drink, you and your cattle and your beasts.’
18 “But, this is a small thing in the sight of the LORD. For He will give Moab into your hand.
19 “And you shall strike every strong town, and every chief city, and shall fell every fair tree, and shall stop all the fountains of water and mar every good field with stones.”
20 And in the morning, when the Meat Offering was offered, 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 had come up to fight against them, they gathered all who were able to put on harness, and upward, and stood at the border.
22 And they rose early in the morning, when the Sun arose upon the water. And the Moabites saw the water opposite them, as red as blood.
23 And they said, “This is blood! The kings are surely killed, and one has strickten another! Now, therefore, Moab, to the spoil!”
24 And when they came to the army of Israel, the Israelites rose up and struck the Moabites, so that they fled before them. But they invaded them and struck Moab.
25 And they destroyed the cities. And every man cast his stone on all the good fields and filled them. And they stopped all the fountains of water and felled all the good trees. Only in Kir Haraseth did they leave its stones. However, they went around it with slings and struck it.
26 And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew the sword, to break through to the king of Edom. But they could not.
27 Then, he took his eldest son, who should have reigned in his place, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall, so that Israel was very grieved. And they departed from him and returned to their country.
2 Kings 3
King James Version
3 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.
2 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.
3 Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.
4 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.
5 But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
6 And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel.
7 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.
8 And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom.
9 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.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
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