3:1 Joram son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years.
3:2 He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, but not as his father and mother had done. He got rid of the sacred stone of Baal that his father had made.
3:3 Nevertheless he clung to the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.
3:4 Now Mesha king of Moab raised sheep, and he had to supply the king of Israel with a hundred thousand lambs and with the wool of a hundred thousand rams.
3:5 But after Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
3:6 So at that time King Joram set out from Samaria and mobilized all Israel.
3:7 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 against Moab?” “I will go with you,” he replied. “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”
3:8 “By what route shall we attack?” he asked. “Through the Desert of Edom,” he answered.
3:9 So the king of Israel set out with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. After a roundabout march of seven days, the army had no more water for themselves or for the animals with them.
3:10 “What!” exclaimed the king of Israel. “Has the LORD called us three kings together only to hand us over to Moab?”
3:11 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of the LORD through him?” An officer of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.”
3:12 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.
3:13 Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What do we have to do with each other? 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 hand us over to Moab.”
3:14 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 look at you or even notice you.
3:15 But now bring me a harpist.” While the harpist was playing, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha
3:16 and he said, “This is what the LORD says: Make this valley full of ditches.
3:17 For this is what the LORD says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink.
3:18 This is an easy thing in the eyes of the LORD; he will also hand Moab over to you.
3:19 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.”
3:20 The next morning, about the time for offering the sacrifice, there it was–water flowing from the direction of Edom! And the land was filled with water.
3:21 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.
3:22 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.
3:23 “That’s blood!” they said. “Those kings must have fought and slaughtered each other. Now to the plunder, Moab!”
3:24 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.
3:25 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 was left with its stones in place, but men armed with slings surrounded it and attacked it as well.
3:26 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.
3:27 Then he took his firstborn 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.
3:1 Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years.
3:2 And he did what was evil in the sight of Jehovah, but not as his father and his mother had done, for he put away the pillar of Baal, which his father had made.
3:3 Yet he clung to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, by which he caused Israel to sin; he did not turn away from them.
3:4 Now Mesha the king of Moab was a sheep breeder, who would pay as tribute to the king of Israel one hundred thousand lambs and the wool of one hundred thousand rams.
3:5 And when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
3:6 And King Jehoram went forth from Samaria on that day and mustered all Israel.
3:7 And he went and sent word to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to Moab to fight? And he said, I will go up: I will be as you are; my people will be as your people; my horses, as your horses.
3:8 And he said, By which way shall we go up? And he said, By the way of the wilderness of Edom.
3:9 So the king of Israel and the king of Judah and the king of Edom set out, and they circled about on a journey of seven days. And there was no water for the army or for the animals that followed them.
3:10 And the king of Israel said, Alas! Jehovah has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.
3:11 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there no prophet of Jehovah here, by whom we may inquire of Jehovah? And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered and said, Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.
3:12 And Jehoshaphat said, The word of Jehovah is with him. And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
3:13 And Elisha said to the king of Israel, What do I have in this that concerns 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 Jehovah has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.
3:14 And Elisha said, As Jehovah of hosts, before whom I stand, lives, were it not that I regard Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not even look at you or see you.
3:15 But now bring me a musician. And as the musician played, the hand of Jehovah came upon him.
3:16 And he said, Thus says Jehovah, Make this valley trenches, all trenches!
3:17 For thus says Jehovah, You will not see wind, nor will you see rain; but that valley will be filled with water, and you will drink, as will your cattle and your animals.
3:18 And this is but a small thing in the sight of Jehovah, for He will deliver Moab into your hand.
3:19 And you will strike every fortified city and every choice city, and every good tree you will fell, and all the springs of water you will stop, and every fine portion of land you will mar with stones.
3:20 And in the morning, at about the time of the offering up of the meal offering, there came water from the direction of Edom, and the land was filled with water.
3:21 Now when all Moab heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, any of those old enough to strap on armor and upward were called out; and they stationed themselves at the border.
3:22 And when they rose up early in the morning, the sun shone on the water; and the Moabites saw the water before them as red as blood.
3:23 And they said, This is blood; the kings have no doubt fought against themselves, and each has struck down his companion. Now therefore to the spoil, O Moab!
3:24 And 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 among them and struck down the Moabites.
3:25 And they overturned the cities, and on every fine portion of land each man threw his stone and filled it up, and every spring of water they stopped, and every good tree they felled. Only at Kir-hareseth did they leave stones standing, but the slingers encircled it and struck it.
3:26 And when the king of Moab saw that the battle went hard against him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew the sword, in order to break through to the king of Edom; but they were not able to do it.
3:27 So he took his firstborn son, who was to reign in his place, and offered him up as a burnt offering upon the wall. And great wrath came upon Israel, and they departed from him and returned to their land.