(KJV) 2 Kings 3¹

⥃Moab’s Rebellion

[1] Now Jehoram² the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. [2] And he wrought³ evil in the sight of the Lord; but not⁴ like his father, and like⁵ his mother: for he put away the image⁶ of Baal⁷ that his father had made.⁸ [3] Nevertheless he cleaved⁹ unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made¹⁰ Israel to sin; he departed¹¹ not therefrom.¹²

[4] [¶]And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster¹³, and rendered¹⁴ unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs¹⁵, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool. [5] But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.¹⁶

[6] And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered¹⁷ all Israel.¹⁸ [7] And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go¹⁹ 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. [8] And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom²⁰. [9] So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom²¹: and they fetched a compass of seven days’ journey: and there was no water²² for the host, and for the cattle that followed them²³. [10] And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the Lord²⁴ hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab! [11] But Jehoshaphat said, [Is there] not here²⁵ a prophet of the Lord, that we may²⁶ 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 water²⁷ on the hands of Elijah. [12] And Jehoshaphat said, The word²⁸ of the Lord is with him. So the king of Israel²⁹ and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. [13] And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What³⁰ have I to do with thee? get³¹ thee to the prophets³² of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay³³: for the Lord hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab. [14] And Elisha said, [As] the Lord³⁴ of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard³⁵ the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look³⁶ toward thee, nor see thee. [15] But now bring me³⁷ a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand³⁸ of the Lord came upon him. [16] And he said, Thus saith the Lord, Make this valley³⁹ full of ditches. [17] For thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not⁴⁰ see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may⁴¹ drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts. [18] And this⁴² is [but] a light⁴³ thing in the sight of the Lord: he will⁴⁴ deliver the Moabites also into your hand. [19] And ye⁴⁵ shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell⁴⁶ every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar⁴⁷ every good piece of land with stones. [20] And it came to pass in the morning, when the meat⁴⁸ offering was offered, that, behold, there came water⁴⁹ by the way of Edom, and the country was filled⁵⁰ with water.

[21] [¶]And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered⁵¹ all that were able to put on armour⁵², and upward, and stood in 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: [23] And they said, This [is] blood⁵³: the kings are surely slain⁵⁴, and they have smitten one another: now therefore⁵⁵, Moab, to the spoil. [24] And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the⁵⁶ Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward⁵⁷ smiting the Moabites, even in [their] country. [25] And they beat down⁵⁸ the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped⁵⁹ all the wells of water, and felled⁶⁰ all the good trees: only in⁶¹ Kir–haraseth⁶² left they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about [it], and smote 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 Edom⁶³: but they could not. [27] Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him⁶⁴ [for] a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed⁶⁵ from him, and returned to [their own] land.