Moab’s Rebellion

1And Jehoram† son of Ahab became king over Israel at Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years. 2And he did evil in the eyes of YHWH, but not like his father and mother. For he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made.

3Nevertheless, in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had made Israel to sin, he persisted. He did not depart from them.

4And Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder,† and he rendered to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs and a hundred thousand rams, with wool. 5And it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 6And King Jehoram went out at that time from Samaria, and he mustered all Israel. 7And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me against Moab to the battle?”

And he said, “I will go up. Like me like you, like my people like your people, like my horses like your horses.” 8And he said, “Where is this—the way we shall go up?”

And he answered, “By the way of the Wilderness of Edom.”

9And the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom, and they circled around the way seven days, and there was no water for the army and for the animals that were at their feet.

10And the king of Israel said, “Alas! For YHWH has called together these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab!”

11And Jehoshaphat said, “Is not here a prophet of YHWH, that we may inquire of YHWH by him?”

And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered and said, “Here is Elisha son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.†”

12And Jehoshaphat said, “The word of YHWH is with him.” And they went down to him—the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom.

13And Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What is to me and to 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 YHWH has called these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”

14And Elisha said, “As YHWH of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely unless I am lifting up the face of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you or see you. 15And bring me a harpist.†”

And it came to pass, at the playing of the harpist, that the hand of YHWH came upon him. 16And he said, “Thus says YHWH, ‘Make this valley of pits and pits.’ 17For thus says YHWH, ‘You⁺ shall not see wind, nor shall you⁺ see rain, and that valley shall be filled with water so that you⁺ may drink—you⁺ and your⁺ cattle and your⁺ animals.’ 18And this is slight in the eyes of YHWH, and He will deliver the Moabites into your⁺ hands. 19And you⁺ will strike every fortified city and every choice city, and every good tree you⁺ will cut down, and every spring of water you⁺ will stop up, and every good piece of the land you⁺ will ruin with stones.”

20And it came to pass in the morning at the ascending of the grain offering, that, behold, waters were coming from the way of Edom, and the land was filled with the waters.

21And all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, and they were called together from everyone girding a belt and older, and they stood at the border. 22And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun was shining on the waters. And the Moabites saw on the other side the waters, as red as blood.

23And they said, “This is blood! The kings have been utterly destroyed, and they have struck one another. And now to the spoil, Moab!”

24And when they came to the camp of Israel, Israel rose up and struck Moab so that they fled before them. And they came into it and struck down the Moabites. 25And they tore down the cities, and on every good piece of land threw each man a stone and filled it. And all the springs of water they stopped up, and all the good trees they cut down. Yet they left the stones in Kir-haraseth, and the slingers surrounded it and attacked it.

26And the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, and he took with him seven hundred men who drew swords to break through to the king of Edom; and they were not able. 27And he took his eldest son who would have reigned in his place, and he lifted him up as a burnt offering upon the wall.

And there was great indignation against Israel,† and they departed from him and returned to the land.