2 Kings 3:1-21
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 3
1Now Jehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel at Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned for twelve years. 2He did evil in the sight of the Lord, though not like his father and his mother; for he removed the memorial stone of Baal which his father had made. 3Nevertheless, he clung to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, into which he misled Israel; he did not abandon them.
4Now Mesha the king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he used to make tribute payments to the king of Israel of a hundred thousand lambs, and the wool of a hundred thousand rams.
5However, when King Ahab died, the king of Moab broke with the king of Israel.
6So King Jehoram left Samaria for battle at that time and mustered all Israel.
7Then he went and sent word to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, 'The king of Moab has broken away from me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?' And he said, 'I will go up. Consider me yours, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.'
8Then he said, 'Which way shall we go up?' And he answered, 'The way of the wilderness of Edom.'
9So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom, and they made a circuit of seven days’ journey. But there was no water for the army or for the cattle that followed them.
10Then the king of Israel said, 'It is hopeless! For the Lord has called these three kings to hand them over to Moab!'
11But Jehoshaphat said, 'Is there no prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of the Lord by him?' And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, 'Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.'
12And 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.
13Now Elisha said to the king of Israel, 'What business do you have with me? Go to your father’s prophets and your mother’s prophets.' But the king of Israel said to him, 'No, for the Lord has called these three kings together to hand them over to Moab.'
14Elisha said, 'As surely as the Lord of armies lives, before whom I stand, if I did not respect Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look at you nor see you.
15But now bring me a musician.' And it came about, when the musician played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him.
16And he said, 'This is what the Lord says: ‘Make this valley full of trenches.’
17For the Lord says this: ‘You will not see wind, nor will you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you will drink, you, your livestock, and your other animals.
18And this is an insignificant thing in the sight of the Lord; He will also give the Moabites into your hand.
19Then you shall strike every fortified city and every choice city, and cut down every good tree and stop up all the springs of water, and spoil every good plot of land with stones.’?'
20And it happened in the morning about the time of offering the sacrifice, that behold, water came from the direction of Edom, and the country was filled with water.
King James Version
Chapter 3
1Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. 2And 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. 3Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.
4And 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.
5But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
6And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel.
7And 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.
8And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom.
9So 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.
10And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the Lord hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!
11But 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.
12And 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.
13And 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.
14And 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.
15But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him.
16And he said, Thus saith the Lord, Make this valley full of ditches.
17For 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.
18And this is but a light thing in the sight of the Lord: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.
19And 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.
20And 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.
21And 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.
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 3
1Joram son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria during the eighteenth year of Judah’s King Jehoshaphat, and he reigned twelve years. 2He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, but not like his father and mother, for he removed the sacred pillar of Baal his father had made. 3Nevertheless, Joram clung to the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit. He did not turn away from them.
4King Mesha of Moab was a sheep breeder. He used to pay the king of Israel one hundred thousand lambs and the wool of one hundred thousand rams,
5but when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
6So King Joram marched out from Samaria at that time and mobilized all Israel.
15Now, bring me a musician." While the musician played, the Lord’s hand came on Elisha.
16Then he said, "This is what the Lord says: ‘Dig ditch after ditch in this wadi.’
17For the Lord says, ‘You will not see wind or rain, but the wadi will be filled with water, and you will drink—you and your cattle and your animals.’
18This is easy in the Lord’s sight. He will also hand Moab over to you.
19Then you will attack every fortified city and every choice city. You will cut down every good tree and stop up every spring. You will ruin every good piece of land with stones."
New Living Translation
Chapter 3
1Ahab’s son Joram began to rule over Israel in the eighteenth year of King Jehoshaphat’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria twelve years. 2He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, but not to the same extent as his father and mother. He at least tore down the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had set up. 3Nevertheless, he continued in the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had committed and led the people of Israel to commit.
4King Mesha of Moab was a sheep breeder. He used to pay the king of Israel an annual tribute of 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams.
5But after Ahab’s death, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
6So King Joram promptly mustered the army of Israel and marched from Samaria.
15Now bring me someone who can play the harp.' While the harp was being played, the power of the Lord came upon Elisha,
16and he said, 'This is what the Lord says: This dry valley will be filled with pools of water!
17You will see neither wind nor rain, says the Lord, but this valley will be filled with water. You will have plenty for yourselves and your cattle and other animals.
18But this is only a simple thing for the Lord, for he will make you victorious over the army of Moab!
19You will conquer the best of their towns, even the fortified ones. You will cut down all their good trees, stop up all their springs, and ruin all their good land with stones.'
English Standard Version
Chapter 3
1In the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned twelve years. 2He 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. 3Nevertheless, he clung to the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin; he did not depart from it.
4Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he had to deliver to the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams.
5But when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
6So King Jehoram marched out of Samaria at that time and mustered all Israel.
7And 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."
8Then he said, "By which way shall we march?" Jehoram answered, "By the way of the wilderness of Edom."
9So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. And when they had made a circuitous march of seven days, there was no water for the army or for the animals that followed them.
10Then the king of Israel said, "Alas! The Lord has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab."
11And 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."
12And 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.
13And 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."
14And 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.
15But now bring me a musician." And when the musician played, the hand of the Lord came upon him.
16And he said, "Thus says the Lord, ‘I will make this dry streambed full of pools.’
17For 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.’
18This is a light thing in the sight of the Lord. He will also give the Moabites into your hand,
19and 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."
20The next morning, about the time of offering the sacrifice, behold, water came from the direction of Edom, till the country was filled with water.
New International Version
Chapter 3
1Joram son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years. 2He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, but not as his father and mother had done. He got rid of the sacred stone of Baal that his father had made. 3Nevertheless he clung to the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.
4Now Mesha king of Moab raised sheep, and he had to pay the king of Israel a tribute of a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams.
5But after Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
6So at that time King Joram set out from Samaria and mobilized all Israel.
15But now bring me a harpist." While the harpist was playing, the hand of the Lord came on Elisha
16and he said, "This is what the Lord says: I will fill this valley with pools of water.
17For this is what the Lord says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink.
18This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord; he will also deliver Moab into your hands.
19You will overthrow every fortified city and every major town. You will cut down every good tree, stop up all the springs, and ruin every good field with stones."
New King James Version
Chapter 3
1Now Jehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel at Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. 2And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, but not like his father and mother; for he put away the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made. 3Nevertheless he persisted in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin; he did not depart from them.
4Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheepbreeder, and he regularly paid the king of Israel one hundred thousand lambs and the wool of one hundred thousand rams.
5But it happened, when Ahab died, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
9So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom, and they marched on that roundabout route seven days; and there was no water for the army, nor for the animals that followed them.
10And the king of Israel said, “Alas! For the Lord has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”
15But now bring me a musician.” Then it happened, when the musician played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him.
16And he said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Make this valley full of ditches.’
17For thus says the Lord: ‘You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your animals may drink.’
18And this is a simple matter in the sight of the Lord; He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand.
19Also you shall attack every fortified city and every choice city, and shall cut down every good tree, and stop up every spring of water, and ruin every good piece of land with stones.”