2 Kings 3

1 Now Yehoram the son of Achav began to reign over Yisrael in Samaria (Shomeron) the eighteenth year of Yehoshafat king of Judah (Yehudah), and reigned twelve years.

2 And he wrought evil in the sight of יהוה; but not like his father, and like his mother, for he put away the image of the Baal that his father had made.

3 Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam (Yarovam) the son of Nevat, who made Yisrael to sin; he departed not therefrom.

4 And Mesha king of Moav was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Yisrael a hundred thousand lambs, and a hundred thousand rams, with the wool.

5 But it came to pass, when Achav was dead, that the king of Moav rebelled against the king of Yisrael.

6 And king Yehoram went out of Samaria (Shomeron) the same time, and numbered all Yisrael.

7 And he went and sent to Yehoshafat the king of Judah (Yehudah), saying, “The king of Moav hath rebelled against me; wilt you go with me against Moav to battle?” And he said, “I will go up; I am as you are, my people as your people, and my horses as your 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 Yisrael went, and the king of Judah (Yehudah), and the king of Edom; and they fetched a compass of seven days’ journey; and there was no water for the army, and for the cattle that followed them.

10 And the king of Yisrael said, “Alas! For יהוה hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moav!”

11 But Yehoshafat said, “Is there not here a prophet of יהוה, that we may enquire of יהוה by him?” And one of the king of Yisrael’s servants answered and said, “Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Eliyah.”

12 And Yehoshafat said, “The word of יהוה is with him.” So the king of Yisrael and Yehoshafat and the king of Edom went down to him.

13 And Elisha said unto the king of Yisrael, “What have I to do with you? Get you to the prophets of your father, and to the prophets of your mother.” And the king of Yisrael said unto him, “Nay, for יהוה hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moav.”

14 And Elisha said, “As יהוה of hosts (YHWH Tsevaot) liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Yehoshafat the king of Judah (Yehudah), I would not look toward you, nor see you.

15 But now bring me a minstrel.” And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of יהוה came upon him.

16 And he said, “Thus saith יהוה: ‘Make this valley full of ditches.’

17 For thus saith יהוה: ‘You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that you may drink, both you, and your cattle, and your beasts.’

18 And this is but a light thing in the sight of יהוה. He will deliver the Moavites also into your hand.

19 And you 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 Moavites heard that the kings had 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 Moavites 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, Moav, to the spoil!”

24 And when they came to the camp of Yisrael, the Yisraelis rose up and smote the Moavites, so that they fled before them; but they went forward smiting the Moavites, 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 Moav 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 Yisrael; and they departed from him and returned to their own land.