2 Kings 3
Dig Ditches and You Will See Neither Wind nor Rain
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Jehoram King of Israel
3:1Jehoram son of Ahab became king in Israel in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years.
3:2He did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord, though not as his father and not as his mother had done. He removed the pillars of Baal that his father had made.
3:3Yet he clung to the sin of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin; he did not turn away from it.
Moab Breaks Faith
3:4Mesha king of Moab was a noqed. At the rising, he rendered to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs and a hundred thousand rams in their fleeces.
3:5After Ahab died, the king of Moab broke faith with the king of Israel.
3:6King Jehoram went out from Samaria that day and mustered Israel.
3:7He went and sent word to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, saying, ‘The king of Moab has broken faith with me. Will you go with me to Moab for war?’ He said, ‘I will go up. As I am, so are you; my people are as your people, my horses as your horses.’
3:8He said, ‘By which road shall I go up?’ He said, ‘By the wilderness road of Edom.’
3:9The king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom went on. They made a circuit of seven days’ journey, but there was no water for the camp or the livestock at their feet.
3:10The king of Israel said, ‘Alas! The Lord has called the three kings who are passing through to give them into the hand of Moab.’
Elisha Sought in the Wilderness
3:11Jehoshaphat said, ‘Is there no prophet of the Lord here, through whom we may inquire of the Lord?’ One of the attendants of the king of Israel answered, ‘Elisha son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on Elijah’s hands.’
3:12Jehoshaphat said, ‘A word of the Lord is with him.’ The king of Israel, Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and the king of Edom went down to him.
3:13Elisha said to the king of Israel, ‘What have I to do with you? Go to your father’s prophets.’ The king of Israel said to him, ‘No! For the Lord has called the three kings together to hand them over into the hands of Moab.’
3:14Elisha said, ‘As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, if I were not showing regard for Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would neither look toward you nor see you.’
3:15‘But now bring me a player of strings.’ As the player plucked the strings, the hand of the Lord came upon him.
3:16He said, ‘Thus says the Lord: Make this torrent bed pit after pit.’
3:17‘For thus says the Lord: You will see no wind and see no rain, yet this torrent bed will be filled with water. You will drink—you, your possessions, and your livestock.’
3:18‘This is a light thing in the eyes of the Lord; I will also hand Moab over into your hand.’
3:19‘You will strike every fortified city. You will bring down every good tree, block every spring of water, and make every good plot useless with stones.’
The Waters and the Defeat of Moab
3:20In the morning, when the sacrifice was going up, look—waters were coming from the direction of Edom, and the land filled with water.
3:21All Moab heard that the kings had come up to fight them. They raised a cry, from everyone wearing a belt and upward, and stood at the border.
3:22They rose early in the morning, and the sun rose over the waters. From opposite them Moab saw the waters fiery red, like blood.
3:23They said, ‘This is blood from the sword! The kings have fought and each has struck his neighbor. Now, Moab, to the spoils!’
3:24They entered Israel’s camp. Israel rose and struck Moab, and they fled before them. They kept going in and striking Moab.
3:25They tore down the cities. Each man threw his stone onto every good plot, filling it. They blocked every spring of water and brought down every good tree, until the stones of the wall were left demolished. The slingers surrounded it and struck it.
The King of Moab Offers His Son
3:26The king of Moab saw that the battle had become too strong for him. He took with him seven hundred men with drawn swords to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not.
3:27He took his firstborn son, who had reigned in his place, and offered him as a whole burnt offering on the wall. Great regret came upon Israel, and they withdrew from him and returned to the land.
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.