2 Kings 3
Jehoram of Israel, Jehoshaphat of Judah, and the king of Edom allied against Moab and ran out of water. Elisha provided water and promised victory; Moab was defeated, but the king of Moab sacrificed his son on the wall, and Israel withdrew.
| v | King James Version | Modern English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 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. | In the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria. He reigned twelve years. |
| 2 | 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 did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, though not like His father and mother, for He put away the pillar of Baal that His father had made. |
| 3 | Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom. | Nevertheless, he clung to the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin; he did not depart from it. |
| 4 | 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. | Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder. He had to deliver to the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. |
| 5 | But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. | But when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. |
| 6 | And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel. | So King Jehoram marched out of Samaria at that time and mustered all Israel. |
| 7 | 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 went and sent word to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, "The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to battle against Moab?" And he said, "I will go. I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses." |
| 8 | And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom. | Then he said, "By which way shall we march?" Jehoshaphat answered, "By the way of the wilderness of Edom." |
| 9 | 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. | So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom set out, and when they had made a circuit of seven days' journey, there was no water for the army or for the animals that followed them. |
| 10 | And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab! | Then the king of Israel said, "Alas! The LORD has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab." |
| 11 | 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 said, "Is there no prophet of the LORD here, through whom we may inquire of the LORD?" Then one of the king of Israel's servants answered, "Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah." |
| 12 | 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 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. |
| 13 | 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 said to the king of Israel, "What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of Your father and to the prophets of Your mother." But the king of Israel said to him, "No; it is the LORD Who has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab." |
| 14 | 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 said, "As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not that I have regard for Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would neither look at you nor see You. |
| 15 | But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him. | But now bring me a musician." And when the musician played, the hand of the LORD came upon Him. |
| 16 | And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches. | He said, "Thus says the LORD, 'I will make this dry streambed full of pools.' |
| 17 | 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. | For thus says the LORD, 'You shall not see wind or rain, but that streambed shall be filled with water, so that You shall drink, You, Your livestock, and Your animals.' |
| 18 | And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand. | This is a light thing in the sight of the LORD. He will also give the Moabites into Your hand, |
| 19 | 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 shall attack every fortified city and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree and stop up all springs of water and ruin every good piece of land with stones." |
| 20 | 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. | The next morning, about the time of offering the sacrifice, water came from the direction of Edom, until the country was filled with water. |
| 21 | 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 all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, all who were able to put on armor, from the youngest to the oldest, were called out and were drawn up at the border. |
| 22 | 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: | When they rose early in the morning and the sun shone on the water, the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood. |
| 23 | And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil. | They said, "This is blood; the kings have surely fought together and struck one another down. Now then, Moab, to the spoil!" |
| 24 | 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. | But when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose and struck the Moabites, till they fled before them. And they went forward, striking the Moabites as they fled. |
| 25 | 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 overthrew the cities, and every man threw a stone on every good piece of land and filled it. They stopped every spring of water and felled every good tree, till only its stones were left in Kir-hareseth, and the slingers surrounded and struck it. |
| 26 | 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 king of Moab saw that the battle was going against him, he took with him 700 swordsmen to break through, opposite the king of Edom. But they could not. |
| 27 | 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 oldest son who was to reign in his place and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall. And there came great wrath against Israel. And they withdrew from him and returned to their own land. |