2 Kings 3
1 Jehoram son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years.
2 He did what was evil in the eyes of the LORD, but not like his father and mother, for he removed the pillar of Baal that his father had made.
3 Yet he clung to the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin; he did not turn away from them.
4 Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he paid 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 That day King Jehoram set out from Samaria and mustered all Israel.
7 He went and sent word to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to war against Moab?” He answered: “I will go. I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”
8 He asked: “By which route shall we go up?” He answered: “By the route through the wilderness of Edom.”
9 The king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom set out and made a circuit of seven days’ journey, but there was no water for the army or for the animals following them.
10 The king of Israel said: “Alas! The LORD has summoned these three kings to hand them over to Moab.”
11 Jehoshaphat asked: “Is there no prophet of the LORD here, so that we may inquire of the LORD through him?” One of the king of Israel’s servants answered: “Elisha son of Shaphat is here, the one who used to pour water on Elijah’s hands.”
12 Jehoshaphat said: “The word of the LORD is with him.” So the king of Israel, 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 the prophets of your mother.” The king of Israel answered him: “No! It was the LORD who summoned these three kings to hand them over to Moab.”
14 Elisha said: “As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, if I did not have regard for Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you or even see you.”
15 “Now bring me a musician.” As the musician played, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha.
16 He said: “This is what the LORD says: ‘Fill this valley with pits.’
17 For this is what the LORD says: ‘You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will fill with water, and you will drink, along with your flocks and your animals.’
18 And this is a small thing in the eyes of the LORD: he will hand Moab over to you.
19 You will attack every fortified city and every important city, cut down every good tree, block every spring of water, and ruin every good field with stones.”
20 In the morning, at the time of the grain offering, water came from the direction of Edom, and the land filled with water.
21 All the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. They called together everyone who could strap on a belt, young and old alike, and took their positions at the border.
22 They rose early in the morning, when the sun was shining on the water, and the Moabites saw the water opposite them, red as blood.
23 They said: “That is blood! The kings must have destroyed one another and killed each other. Now, Moab, to the plunder!”
24 But when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and struck down the Moabites, who fled from them. They advanced into the land, striking down the Moabites.
25 They destroyed the cities; each man threw a stone into every good field until it was covered. They blocked every spring of water and cut down every good tree, until only the stones of Kir-hareseth were left. The slingers surrounded it and attacked it.
26 When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too strong for him, he took with him seven hundred men who wielded swords, to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not.
27 Then he took his firstborn son, who was to reign in his place, and offered him as a burnt offering on the wall. Great indignation came against Israel; they withdrew from him and returned to their own land.
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