Chapter 3

Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign¹ over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth ⁶²⁴⁰ year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned⁴ twelve ⁶²⁴⁰ years.

And he wrought⁴ evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away⁵⁵ the image of Baal that his father had made.¹

Nevertheless he cleaved¹ unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin;⁵² he departed¹ not therefrom.

And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered⁵² unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool.

But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled⁴ against the king of Israel.

And king Jehoram went out⁴ of Samaria the same time, and numbered⁴ all Israel.

And he went⁴ and sent⁴ to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying,² The king of Moab hath rebelled¹ against me: wilt thou go⁴ with me against Moab to battle? And he said,⁴ I will go up:⁴ I [am] as thou [art], my people as thy people, [and] my horses as thy horses.

And he said,⁴ Which way shall we go up?⁴ And he answered,⁴ The way through the wilderness of Edom.

So the king of Israel went,⁴ and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass⁴ of seven days' journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them.

And the king of Israel said,⁴ Alas! that the LORD hath called¹ these three kings together, to deliver² them into the hand of Moab!

But Jehoshaphat said,⁴ [Is there] not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may enquire⁴ of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered⁴ and said,⁴ Here [is] Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured¹ water on the hands of Elijah.

And Jehoshaphat said,⁴ The word of the LORD is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down⁴ to him.

And Elisha said⁴ unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get³ thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said⁴ unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath called¹ these three kings together, to deliver² them into the hand of Moab.

And Elisha said,⁴ [As] the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand,¹ surely, were it not that I regard⁶ the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look⁵⁵ toward thee, nor see⁴ thee.

But now bring³ me a minstrel.¹⁸ And it came to pass, when the minstrel¹⁸ played,¹⁵ that the hand of the LORD came upon him.

And he said,⁴ Thus saith¹ the LORD, Make² this valley full of ditches.

For thus saith¹ the LORD, Ye shall not see⁴ wind, neither shall ye see⁴ rain; yet that valley shall be filled¹¹ with water, that ye may drink,¹ both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.

And this is [but] a light thing⁸ in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver¹ the Moabites also into your hand.

And ye shall smite⁵² every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell⁵⁵ every good tree, and stop⁴ all wells of water, and mar⁵⁵ every good piece of land with stones.

And it came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was offered,² that, behold, there came⁶ water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled¹¹ with water.

And when all the Moabites heard¹ that the kings were come up¹ to fight⁹ against them, they gathered¹¹ all that were able to put⁶ on armour, and upward, and stood⁴ in the border.

And they rose up early⁵⁵ in the morning, and the sun shone¹ upon the water, and the Moabites saw⁴ the water on the other side [as] red as blood:

And they said,⁴ This [is] blood: the kings are surely⁹¹ slain,⁸ and they have smitten⁵⁵ one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.

And when they came⁴ to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up⁴ and smote⁵⁵ the Moabites, so that they fled⁴ before them: but they went forward⁵⁵ smiting⁵³ the Moabites, even in [their] country.

And they beat down⁴ the cities, and on every good piece of land cast⁵⁵ every man his stone, and filled¹⁴ it; and they stopped⁴ all the wells of water, and felled⁵⁵ all the good trees: only in Kirharaseth left⁵² they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about⁴ [it], and smote⁵⁵ it.

And when the king of Moab saw⁴ that the battle was too sore¹ for him, he took⁴ with him seven hundred men that drew⁶ swords, to break through⁵³ [even] unto the king of Edom: but they could¹ not.

Then he took⁴ his eldest son that should have reigned⁴ in his stead, and offered⁵⁵ him [for] a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed⁴ from him, and returned⁴ to [their own] land.