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2 Kings 3:4-27
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

War with Moab

4 Now King Mesha of Moab was a sheep breeder who used to deliver to the king of Israel one hundred thousand lambs and the wool of one hundred thousand rams.(A) 5 But when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.(B) 6 So King Jehoram marched out of Samaria at that time and mustered all Israel. 7 As he went he sent word to King Jehoshaphat of Judah, “The king of Moab has rebelled against me; will you go with me to battle against Moab?” He answered, “I will; I am as you are; my people are your people; my horses are your horses.”(C) 8 Then he asked, “By which way shall we march?” Jehoram answered, “By the way of the wilderness of Edom.”

9 So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom set out, and when they had made a roundabout march of seven days, there was no water for the army or for the animals that were with them.(D) 10 Then the king of Israel said, “Alas! The Lord has summoned these three kings to hand them over to Moab.” 11 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here through whom we may inquire of the Lord?” Then one of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat, who used to pour water on the hands of Elijah, is here.”(E) 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.” But the king of Israel said to him, “No; it is the Lord who has summoned these three kings to hand them over to Moab.”(F) 14 Elisha said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, whom I serve, were it not that I have regard for King Jehoshaphat of Judah, I would give you neither a look nor a glance.(G) 15 But get me a musician.” And then, while the musician was playing, the hand of the Lord came on him.(H) 16 And he said, “Thus says the Lord: I will make this wadi full of pools. 17 For thus says the Lord: You shall see neither wind nor rain, but the wadi shall be filled with water, so that you shall drink, you, your army,[a] and your animals. 18 This is only a trifle in the sight of the Lord, for he will also hand Moab over to you. 19 You shall conquer every fortified city and every choice city; every good tree you shall fell, all springs of water you shall stop up, and every good piece of land you shall ruin with stones.”(I) 20 The next day, about the time of the morning offering, suddenly water began to flow from the direction of Edom until the country was filled with water.(J)

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.(K) 22 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 They said, “This is blood; the kings must have fought together and killed one another. Now then, Moab, to the spoil!” 24 But when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and attacked the Moabites, who fled before them; as they entered Moab, they continued the attack.[b] 25 The cities they overturned, and on every good piece of land everyone threw a stone until it was covered; every spring of water they stopped up, and every good tree they felled. Only at Kir-hareseth did the stone walls remain until the slingers surrounded and attacked it.(L) 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 firstborn son who was to succeed him and offered him as a burnt offering on the wall. And great wrath came upon Israel, so they withdrew from him and returned to their own land.(M)

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Footnotes

  1. 3.17 Gk: Heb cattle
  2. 3.24 Compare Gk Syr: Meaning of Heb uncertain
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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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