2 Kings 3
1 And Joram the son of Achaab
aGr. reigned.began to reign in Israel in the eighteenth year of Josaphat king of Juda, and
he reigned twelve years. 2 And he did
that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, only not as his father, nor as
his mother: and he removed the pillars of Baal which his father had made.
3 Only he adhered to the sin of
Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who made Israel to sin; he departed not from it.
4 And Mosa king of Moab was a
sheep-master, and he rendered to the king of Israel
bLit. in the rising up.in the beginning of the year, a hundred thousand
lambs, and a hundred thousand rams, with the wool.
5 And it came to pass, after the death
of Achaab, that the king of Moab
cGr. despised.rebelled against the king of Israel.
6 And king Joram went forth in that
day out of Samaria, and numbered Israel.
7 And he went and sent to Josaphat
king of Juda, saying, The king of Moab has rebelled against me: wilt thou go
with me against Moab to war? And he said, I will go up: thou art as I, I am as
thou; as my people, so is thy people, as my horses,
so are thy horses.
8 And he said, What way shall I go up?
and he said, The way of the wilderness of Edom.
9 And the king of Israel went, and the
king of Juda, and the king of Edom: and
dGr. compassed a journey of seven days.they fetched a compass of seven days' journey; and there was no water for the
army, and for the cattle
eGr. at their feet.that went with them.
10 And the king of Israel said, Alas!
that the Lord should have called the three kings on their way, to give them
into the hand of Moab. 11 And
Josaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord,
fGr. and we will.that we may enquire of the Lord by him? And one of the servants of the king
of Israel answered and said, There is here Elisaie
son of Saphat, who poured water on the hands of Eliu.
12 And Josaphat said, He has the word
of the Lord. And the king of Israel, and Josaphat king of Juda, and the king
of Edom, went down to him.
13 And Elisaie said to the king of
Israel, What have I to do with thee? go to the prophets of thy father, and the
prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said to him,
gGr. is it that.Has the Lord called the three kings to deliver them into the hands of Moab?
14 And Elisaie said,
As the Lord of hosts before whom I
hGr. stood.stand lives, unless I
iGr. regard.regarded the presence of Josaphat the king of Juda, I would not have looked
on thee, nor seen thee. 15 And now
fetch me a harper. And it came to pass, as the harper harped, that the hand of
the Lord came upon him. 16 And he
said, Thus saith the Lord, Make this
jLit. brook.valley full of trenches. 17 For thus
saith the Lord, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain, yet this
valley shall be filled with water, and ye, and your
kLit. posessions.flocks, and your cattle shall drink.
18 And this
is a light thing in the eyes
of the Lord: I will also deliver Moab
lGr. in.into your hand. 19 And ye shall
smite every strong city, and ye shall
mGr. throw down.cut down every good tree, and ye shall stop all wells of water, and spoil
every good piece of land with stones.
20 And it came to pass in the
morning, when the sacrifice was
nGr. going up.offered, that, behold! waters came from the way of Edom, and the land was
filled with water.
21 And all Moab heard that the three
kings were come up to fight against them; and they cried out
oGr. from.on every side, even all that were girt with a
girdle,
pAlex. καὶ ἐπάνα, 'and above.'and they said, Ho! and stood upon the border.
22 And they rose early in the
morning, and the sun rose upon the waters, and Moab saw the waters on the
opposite side red as blood. 23 And
they said, This is the blood of the sword; and the
kings have fought, and each man has smitten his neighbour; now then to the
spoils, Moab. 24 And they entered
into the camp of Israel; and Israel arose and smote Moab, and they fled from
before them; and they
qGr. went in, going in and smiting.went on and smote Moab as they went.
25 And they razed the cities, and
cast every man his stone on every good piece
of land and filled it; and they stopped every well,
and
rGr. threw down.cut down every good tree, until they left only the
stones of the wall cast down; and the slingers compassed
the land, and smote it.
26 And the king of Moab saw that the
battle prevailed against him; and he took with him seven hundred men that drew
sword, to cut through to the king of Edom: and they could not.
27 And he took his eldest son whom he
had designed to reign in his stead, and offered him up for a
whole-burnt-offering on the walls. And there was a great
sGr. repentance.indignation against Israel; and they departed from him, and returned to their
land.
Footnotes
a3:1 Gr. reigned.
b3:4 Lit. in the rising up.
c3:5 Gr. despised.
d3:9 Gr. compassed a journey of seven days.
e3:9 Gr. at their feet.
f3:11 Gr. and we will.
g3:13 Gr. is it that.
h3:14 Gr. stood.
i3:14 Gr. regard.
j3:16 Lit. brook.
k3:17 Lit. posessions.
l3:18 Gr. in.
m3:19 Gr. throw down.
n3:20 Gr. going up.
o3:21 Gr. from.
p3:21 Alex. καὶ ἐπάνα, 'and above.'
q3:24 Gr. went in, going in and smiting.
r3:25 Gr. threw down.
s3:27 Gr. repentance.