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2 Kings 3:4-27
New American Standard Bible

4 Now Mesha the king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he (A)used to make tribute payments to the king of Israel of a hundred thousand lambs, and the wool of a hundred thousand rams. 5 However, (B)when King Ahab died, the king of Moab broke with the [a]king of Israel. 6 So King Jehoram left Samaria for battle [b]at that time and mustered all Israel. 7 Then he went and sent word to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has broken away from me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?” And he said, “I will go up. [c](C)Consider me yours, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” 8 Then he said, “Which way shall we go up?” And he [d]answered, “The way of the wilderness of Edom.”

9 So (D)the king of Israel went with (E)the king of Judah and (F)the king of Edom, and they made a circuit of seven days’ journey. But there was no water for the army or for the cattle that [e]followed them. 10 Then the king of Israel said, “It is hopeless! For the Lord has called these three kings to hand them over to Moab!” 11 But Jehoshaphat said, “(G)Is there no prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of the Lord by him?” And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, “(H)Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, (I)who used to pour 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 Now Elisha said to the king of Israel, “[f]What business do you have with me? (J)Go to your father’s prophets and your mother’s prophets.” But the king of Israel said to him, “No, for the Lord has called these three kings together to hand them over to Moab.” 14 Elisha said, “(K)As surely as the Lord of armies lives, before whom I stand, if I did not respect Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look at you nor see you. 15 But now (L)bring me a [g]musician.” And it came about, when the [h]musician played, that (M)the hand of the Lord came upon him. 16 And he said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Make this valley [i]full of trenches.’ 17 For the Lord says this: ‘You will not see wind, nor will you see rain; yet that valley (N)shall be filled with water, so that you will drink, you, your livestock, and your other animals. 18 And this is an (O)insignificant thing in the sight of the Lord; He will also give the Moabites into your hand. 19 (P)Then you shall strike every fortified city and every choice city, and [j]cut down every good tree and stop up all the springs of water, and spoil every good plot of land with stones.’” 20 And it happened in the morning (Q)about the time of offering the sacrifice, that behold, water came from the direction of Edom, and the country was filled with water.

21 Now all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. And all who were able to [k]put on armor and older were summoned and they took their positions on the border. 22 Then they got 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 So they said, “This is blood; the kings must have fought each other, and they have killed one another. Now then, Moab, to the spoils!” 24 But when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and struck the Moabites, so that they fled from them; and the Israelites invaded [l]the land, [m]killing the Moabites. 25 (R)So they destroyed the cities; and each one threw a stone on every plot of good land and filled it. So they stopped up every spring of water and [n]cut down every good tree, until in (S)Kir-hareseth only they left its stones; however, the rock slingers surrounded it and struck it. 26 When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not. 27 Then the king of Moab took his oldest son who was to reign in his place, and (T)offered him as a burnt offering on the wall. And great anger came upon Israel, and they departed from him and returned to their own land.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 3:5 I.e., Jehoram, the new king
  2. 2 Kings 3:6 Lit in that day
  3. 2 Kings 3:7 Lit As I, as you, as my people...
  4. 2 Kings 3:8 Lit said
  5. 2 Kings 3:9 Lit were in their footsteps
  6. 2 Kings 3:13 Lit What to me and to you, an ancient idiom
  7. 2 Kings 3:15 Lit string player
  8. 2 Kings 3:15 Lit string player
  9. 2 Kings 3:16 Lit trenches, trenches
  10. 2 Kings 3:19 Lit fell
  11. 2 Kings 3:21 Lit strap on a belt (for weapons)
  12. 2 Kings 3:24 Lit it
  13. 2 Kings 3:24 Lit striking
  14. 2 Kings 3:25 Lit felled
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2 Kings 3:4-27
Revised Standard Version

War with Moab

4 Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder; and he had to deliver annually[a] 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 So King Jeho′ram marched out of Samar′ia at that time and mustered all Israel. 7 And he went and sent word to Jehosh′aphat king of Judah, “The king of Moab has rebelled against me; will you go with me to battle against Moab?” And he said, “I will go; I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” 8 Then he said, “By which way shall we march?” Jeho′ram answered, “By 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 when they had made a circuitous march of seven days, there was no water for the army or for the beasts which followed them. 10 Then the king of Israel said, “Alas! The Lord has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.” 11 And Jehosh′aphat said, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here, through whom we may inquire of the Lord?” Then one of the king of Israel’s servants answered, “Eli′sha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Eli′jah.” 12 And Jehosh′aphat said, “The word of the Lord is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehosh′aphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

13 And Eli′sha said to the king of Israel, “What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother.” But the king of Israel said to him, “No; it is the Lord who has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.” 14 And Eli′sha said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, whom I serve, were it not that I have regard for Jehosh′aphat the king of Judah, I would neither look at you, nor see you. 15 But now bring me a minstrel.” And when the minstrel played, the power of the Lord came upon him. 16 And he said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘I will make this dry stream-bed full of pools.’ 17 For thus says the Lord, ‘You shall not see wind or rain, but that stream-bed shall be filled with water, so that you shall drink, you, your cattle, and your beasts.’ 18 This is a light thing in the sight of the Lord; he will also give the Moabites into your hand, 19 and you shall conquer every fortified city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop up all springs of water, and ruin every good piece of land with stones.” 20 The next morning, about the time of offering the sacrifice, behold, water came from the direction of Edom, till the country 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 put on armor, from the youngest to the oldest, were called out, and were drawn up at the frontier. 22 And when they rose early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood. 23 And they said, “This is blood; the kings have surely fought together, and slain one another. Now then, Moab, to the spoil!” 24 But when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose and attacked the Moabites, till they fled before them; and they went forward, slaughtering the Moabites as they went.[b] 25 And they overthrew the cities, and on every good piece of land every man threw a stone, until it was covered; they stopped every spring of water, and felled all the good trees; till only its stones were left in Kir-har′eseth, and the slingers surrounded and conquered it. 26 When the king of Moab saw that the battle was going against him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through, opposite the king of Edom; but they could not. 27 Then he took his eldest son who was to reign in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there came great wrath upon Israel; and they withdrew from him and returned to their own land.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 3:4 Tg: Heb lacks annually
  2. 2 Kings 3:24 Gk: Heb uncertain
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2 Kings 3:4-27
New International Version

4 Now Mesha king of Moab(A) raised sheep, and he had to pay the king of Israel a tribute of a hundred thousand lambs(B) and the wool of a hundred thousand rams. 5 But after Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled(C) against the king of Israel. 6 So at that time King Joram set out from Samaria and mobilized all Israel. 7 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(D) against Moab?”

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

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

“Through the Desert of Edom,” he answered.

9 So the king of Israel set out with the king of Judah and the king of Edom.(E) 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(F) of the Lord?”

An officer of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha(G) son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.[a](H)”

12 Jehoshaphat said, “The word(I) 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.”(J)

While the harpist was playing, the hand(K) 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,(L) and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. 18 This is an easy(M) 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(N) for offering the sacrifice, there it was—water flowing from the direction of Edom! And the land was filled with water.(O)

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(P) 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(Q) 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.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 3:11 That is, he was Elijah’s personal servant.
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