2 Kings 3 - New International Version (NIV)

Moab Revolts

3 Joram[a](A) son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years. 2 He did evil(B) in the eyes of the Lord, but not as his father(C) and mother had done. He got rid of the sacred stone(D) of Baal that his father had made. 3 Nevertheless he clung to the sins(E) of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.

4 Now Mesha king of Moab(F) raised sheep, and he had to pay the king of Israel a tribute of a hundred thousand lambs(G) and the wool of a hundred thousand rams. 5 But after Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled(H) against the king of Israel. 6 So at that time King Joram set out from Samaria and mobilized all Israel. 7 He also sent this message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight(I) against Moab?”

“I will go with you,” he replied. “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”

8 “By what route shall we attack?” he asked.

“Through the Desert of Edom,” he answered.

9 So the king of Israel set out with the king of Judah and the king of Edom.(J) After a roundabout march of seven days, the army had no more water for themselves or for the animals with them.

10 “What!” exclaimed the king of Israel. “Has the Lord called us three kings together only to deliver us into the hands of Moab?”

11 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here, through whom we may inquire(K) of the Lord?”

An officer of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha(L) son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.[b](M)”

12 Jehoshaphat said, “The word(N) of the Lord is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

13 Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Why do you want to involve me? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother.”

“No,” the king of Israel answered, “because it was the Lord who called us three kings together to deliver us into the hands of Moab.”

14 Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, if I did not have respect for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not pay any attention to you. 15 But now bring me a harpist.”(O)

While the harpist was playing, the hand(P) of the Lord came on Elisha 16 and he said, “This is what the Lord says: I will fill this valley with pools of water. 17 For this is what the Lord says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water,(Q) and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. 18 This is an easy(R) thing in the eyes of the Lord; he will also deliver Moab into your hands. 19 You 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.”

20 The next morning, about the time(S) for offering the sacrifice, there it was—water flowing from the direction of Edom! And the land was filled with water.(T)

21 Now all the Moabites had heard that the kings had come to fight against them; so every man, young and old, who could bear arms was called up and stationed on the border. 22 When they got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water. To the Moabites across the way, the water looked red—like blood. 23 “That’s blood!” they said. “Those kings must have fought and slaughtered each other. Now to the plunder, Moab!”

24 But when the Moabites came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and fought them until they fled. And the Israelites invaded the land and slaughtered the Moabites. 25 They destroyed the towns, and each man threw a stone on every good field until it was covered. They stopped up all the springs and cut down every good tree. Only Kir Hareseth(U) was left with its stones in place, but men armed with slings surrounded it and attacked it.

26 When the king of Moab saw that the battle had gone against him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom, but they failed. 27 Then he took his firstborn(V) son, who was to succeed him as king, and offered him as a sacrifice on the city wall. The fury against Israel was great; they withdrew and returned to their own land.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 3:1 Hebrew Jehoram, a variant of Joram; also in verse 6
  2. 2 Kings 3:11 That is, he was Elijah’s personal servant.

Cross references

  1. 2 Kings 3:1 : S 2Ki 1:17
  2. 2 Kings 3:2 : 1Ki 15:26
  3. 2 Kings 3:2 : 1Ki 16:30-32
  4. 2 Kings 3:2 : S Ex 23:24
  5. 2 Kings 3:3 : S 1Ki 12:28-32
  6. 2 Kings 3:4 : S Ge 19:37; 2Ki 1:1
  7. 2 Kings 3:4 : Ezr 7:17; Isa 16:1
  8. 2 Kings 3:5 : S 2Ki 1:1
  9. 2 Kings 3:7 : 1Ki 22:4
  10. 2 Kings 3:9 : S 1Ki 22:47
  11. 2 Kings 3:11 : S Ge 25:22; S 1Ki 22:5
  12. 2 Kings 3:11 : S Ge 20:7
  13. 2 Kings 3:11 : S 1Ki 19:16
  14. 2 Kings 3:12 : S Nu 11:17
  15. 2 Kings 3:15 : S 1Sa 10:5
  16. 2 Kings 3:15 : Jer 15:17; Eze 1:3
  17. 2 Kings 3:17 : Ps 107:35; Isa 12:3; 32:2; 35:6; 41:18; 65:13
  18. 2 Kings 3:18 : S Ge 18:14; 2Ki 20:10; Isa 49:6; Jer 32:17, 27; Mk 10:27
  19. 2 Kings 3:20 : S Ex 29:41
  20. 2 Kings 3:20 : S Ex 17:6
  21. 2 Kings 3:25 : Isa 15:1; 16:7; Jer 48:31, 36
  22. 2 Kings 3:27 : S Dt 12:31; 2Ki 16:3; 21:6; 2Ch 28:3; Ps 106:38; Jer 19:4-5; Mic 6:7

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2 Kings 3 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Jehoram Reigns over Israel3 In the eighteenth year of Jehosh′aphat king of Judah, Jeho′ram the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samar′ia, and he reigned twelve years. 2 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 Ba′al wh...
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2 Kings 3 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Jehoram Reigns over Israel3 In the eighteenth year of King Jehoshaphat of Judah, Jehoram son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria; he reigned for twelve years. 2 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, though not like his father and mother, for he removed the pillar of Baal that his fa...
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2 Kings 3 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

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2 Kings 3 - New Living Translation (NLT)

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2 Kings 3 - New Life Version (NLV)

The War between Moab and Israel3 Ahab’s son Jehoram became the king of Israel at Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah. He ruled for twelve years. 2 Jehoram did what was bad in the eyes of the Lord, but not like his father and mother. For he put away the object of Baal which h...
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2 Kings 3 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Moab Rebels Against Israel3 Now (A)Jehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel at Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. 2 And 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 (B)t...
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2 Kings 3 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Moab revolts3 Joram[a] son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned for twelve years. 2 He 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...
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2 Kings 3 - New International Version (NIV)

Moab Revolts3 Joram[a](A) son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years. 2 He did evil(B) in the eyes of the Lord, but not as his father(C) and mother had done. He got rid of the sacred stone(D) of Baal that his father h...
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2 Kings 3 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Moab’s King Refuses to Obey Israel’s King3 Joram became king of Israel in Samaria. It was in the 18th year that Jehoshaphat was king of Judah. Joram ruled for 12 years. He was the son of Ahab. 2 Joram did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. But he wasn’t as bad as his father and mother had been...
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2 Kings 3 - New English Translation (NET)

Moab Fights with Israel3 In the eighteenth year of King Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah, Ahab’s son Jehoram became king over Israel in Samaria; he ruled for twelve years. 2 He did evil in the sight of[a] the Lord, but not to the same degree as his father and mother. He did remove the sacred pillar o...
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