2 Kings 3

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

Jehoram, Ahab's son, started ruling Israel in Samaria during Jehoshaphat's 18th year as king of Judah. His reign lasted for twelve years.

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

He committed wrongs, under God's watchful eyes, yet not as severely as his parents. He removed the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made.

Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.

Despite his actions, he stubbornly clung to Jeroboam's sinful ways, leading Israel astray. He never turned away from this path.

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

Mesha, the king of Moab, was a sheep breeder. He had to pay the king of Israel a tribute of 100,000 lambs and 100,000 rams, with their wool.

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

When Ahab passed away, the King of Moab defiantly turned against the King of Israel.

And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel.

King Jehoram, filled with determination, left Samaria that very moment, taking a careful count of all his people in Israel.

And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses.

He reached out to Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, "The king of Moab has turned against me. Will you stand with me in this fight?" Jehoshaphat responded with unwavering solidarity, "I will stand by you. Your people are my people, your horses are my horses."

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

He asked, "Which path should we take?" The response was, "We must brave the wild unknown of Edom."

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

The kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom set out on a seven-day journey. But they and their armies, along with their livestock, were left parched and desperate, with no water in sight.

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

The king of Israel cried out in despair, "Oh no! God has gathered us three kings only to hand us over to Moab!"

But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may enquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah.

Jehoshaphat asked urgently, "Isn't there a prophet of God here we can consult?" One of the king's aides responded, "Elisha is here, the one who served Elijah."

And 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.

Jehoshaphat declared, "God's guidance is with him." So, the kings of Israel, Jehoshaphat, and Edom humbly approached him.

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

Elisha, exasperated, told the king of Israel, "Why involve me? Seek guidance from your parents' prophets." But the king refused, saying, "No, God has brought these three kings together to face Moab's wrath."

And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.

Elisha declared, "By the living God I serve, if it weren't for my respect for King Jehoshaphat of Judah, I wouldn't even acknowledge your presence."

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

Now, call forth a musician. As the melody filled the air, he felt the divine touch of God upon him.

And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches.

And he proclaimed, "The Lord commands, fill this valley with trenches."

For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.

The Lord promises, you won't see the wind or rain, but your valley will brim with water. You, your livestock, and your animals will have plenty to drink.

And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.

This is nothing to God. He will surely help you conquer the Moabites.

And ye 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.

You will conquer every fortified and prosperous city, cut down every beneficial tree, block all sources of water, and ruin every fertile piece of land with stones.

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.

As dawn broke and the food offering was presented, suddenly, water flowed from the direction of Edom, filling the land with life-giving moisture.

And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood in the border.

When the Moabites learned that the kings were marching to wage war against them, every able-bodied person old enough to bear armor was called up, and they stood ready at the border.

And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood:

They woke up at dawn, as the sun's rays kissed the water. The Moabites, looking across, saw the water gleaming red like blood.

And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.

They cried out, "It's blood! The kings must be dead, they've killed each other! Now, Moab, seize the spoils!"

And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward smiting the Moabites, even in their country.

When they reached Israel's camp, the Israelites fiercely attacked the Moabites, causing them to retreat in fear. Yet, the Israelites didn't stop there, they courageously pursued and defeated the Moabites, even on their own land.

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.

They devastated the cities, each man hurling stones onto the fertile land until it was covered. They blocked all the water sources and cut down every thriving tree. Only in Kirharaseth did they leave the stones untouched, yet the stone-throwers surrounded it, relentlessly attacking.

And when the king of Moab 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.

When the Moabite king realized he was losing the battle, he desperately gathered 700 swordsmen to attack the king of Edom. But, they failed.

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 Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.

Then he took his firstborn son, his heir, and offered him as a burnt offering on the city wall. This act sparked immense outrage against Israel, so they withdrew from him and returned to their homeland.