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2 Kings 3:4-27
World English Bible

4 Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder; and he supplied the king of Israel with the wool of one hundred thousand lambs, and 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 He said, “Which way shall we go up?”

He 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 Yahweh has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”

11 But Jehoshaphat said, “Isn’t there a prophet of Yahweh here, that we may inquire of Yahweh 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, “Yahweh’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 Yahweh has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.” 14 Elisha said, “As Yahweh 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, Yahweh’s hand came on him. 16 He said, “Yahweh says, ‘Make this valley full of trenches.’ 17 For Yahweh 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 Yahweh’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.

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2 Kings 3:4-27
International Standard Version

Moab Rebels against Israel

4 Meanwhile, Moab’s King Mesha was a sheep breeder. He used to pay 100,000 lambs and the wool from 100,000 rams to the king of Israel as tribute. 5 After Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 6 So King Jehoram left Samaria at that time[a] and mustered the entire army of[b] Israel. 7 As he was going out, he sent this message[c] to King Jehoshaphat of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight Moab?”

“I’m coming,” Jehoshaphat[d] replied. “I’m like you! My army will act like your army and my cavalry like your cavalry,” Then Jehoshaphat[e] added: 8 “What road do we take?”

Jehoram[f] answered, “We’ll go along the Edom desert road.”

9 So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom made a complete circuit on the road for seven days, but there was no water for the army or for the livestock that accompanied[g] them.

10 Then the king of Israel remarked, “Oh no! The Lord has summoned us three kings so he can hand us over to Moab, hasn’t he?”

The Kings Seek Elisha’s Counsel

11 Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet who belongs to the Lord and through whom we can ask the Lord a question?”

One of the king of Israel’s attendants replied, “Shaphat’s son Elisha lives here. He used to be Elijah’s personal attendant.”[h]

12 Jehoshaphat answered, “He receives messages from[i] the Lord.” So the king of Israel, Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom went to visit Elisha.[j]

13 Elisha asked the king of Israel, “What do I have in common[k] with you? Go visit your parents’ prophets.”[l]

The king of Israel replied, “No! The Lord has summoned these three kings so he can hand them over to Moab!”

14 But Elisha responded, “As the Lord of the Heavenly Armies lives, in whose presence I stand, I would never pay attention to you or even look in your direction were it not for my continuous respect for the presence of King Jehoshaphat of Judah. 15 Now bring me a musician.”

As the musician played, the hand of the Lord rested on Elisha, 16 so he said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Fill this valley with trench after trench!’ 17 This is what the Lord says: ‘Though you won’t see wind or storm, nevertheless that river[m] will overflow with water so that you, your cattle, and your livestock may drink.’ 18 And this is the easy part for the Lord[n]—he’s also going to hand the Moabites over to you! 19 Then you are to attack every fortified city and every significant city. Cut down every significant tree, fill in all of the water springs, and ruin every prime piece of land with stones.”

War with Moab

20 The very next day, about the time of the morning offering, water suddenly appeared, coming from the direction of Edom, and the land overflowed with water! 21 Meanwhile, all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to attack them, so everyone old enough to wear battle armor was mustered to stand guard at the border. 22 As the Moabites arose early that morning, the sun cast its rays on the water, and to the Moabites, the water across from them appeared to be red like blood. 23 So they concluded,[o] “This must be blood! The kings must have had one mighty big fight and each man killed the other! So let’s go get the battle spoil, Moab!”

24 But when the Moabites arrived at the Israeli encampment, the Israelis got up and attacked them. The Moabites ran away from the Israelis,[p] who followed them into the land as they continued their pursuit against Moab. 25 They destroyed their cities, and all of them threw stones onto every piece of farm[q] land, ruining the fields.[r] Then they filled in all the water wells[s] and chopped down all of the useful[t] trees. Stone walls remained surrounding Kir-hareseth only, until the archers surrounded and attacked that city. 26 When the king of Moab realized that the battle was going strongly against him, he took 700 expert swordsmen to attempt to break through to the king of Edom, but was unable to do so. 27 So he took his firstborn son, whom he intended to reign after him, and offered him up as a burnt offering on the wall. There subsequently came great anger against Israel, so they abandoned the attack and returned to their homeland.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 3:6 Lit. in those days
  2. 2 Kings 3:6 The Heb. lacks army of
  3. 2 Kings 3:7 The Heb. lacks this message
  4. 2 Kings 3:7 Lit. He
  5. 2 Kings 3:7 Lit. He
  6. 2 Kings 3:8 Lit. He
  7. 2 Kings 3:9 Or followed
  8. 2 Kings 3:11 Lit. to pour water on Elijah’s hands
  9. 2 Kings 3:12 Lit. He has the word of
  10. 2 Kings 3:12 Lit. him
  11. 2 Kings 3:13 The Heb. lacks in common
  12. 2 Kings 3:13 Lit. the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother
  13. 2 Kings 3:17 Or seasonal stream
  14. 2 Kings 3:18 Lit. part in the Lord’s eyes
  15. 2 Kings 3:23 Lit. said
  16. 2 Kings 3:24 Lit. of them
  17. 2 Kings 3:25 Or good
  18. 2 Kings 3:25 I.e. for future cultivation
  19. 2 Kings 3:25 Or springs
  20. 2 Kings 3:25 Or good
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2 Kings 4
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