2Kings 3 - Prayer Tents

War between Israel and Moab

3Ahab'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.H3088H1121H256H4427H3478H8111H8083H6240H8141H3092H4428H3063H4427H8147H6240H8141 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.H6213H7451H5869H3068H1H517H5493H4676H1168H1H6213 3Nevertheless, he continued in the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had committed and led the people of Israel to commit.H1692H2403H3379H1121H5028H3478H2398H5493 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.H4338H4428H4124H5349H7725H4428H3478H3967H505H3733H3967H505H352H6785 5But after Ahab's death, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.H256H4194H4428H4124H6586H4428H3478 6So King Joram promptly mustered the army of Israel and marched from Samaria.H4428H3088H3318H8111H3117H6485H3478 7On the way, he sent this message to King Jehoshaphat of Judah: "The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you join me in battle against him?" And Jehoshaphat replied, "Why, of course! You and I are as one. My troops are your troops, and my horses are your horses."H3212H7971H3092H4428H3063H559H4428H4124H6586H3212H4124H4421H559H5927H5971H5971H5483H5483 8Then Jehoshaphat asked, "What route will we take?" "We will attack from the wilderness of Edom," Joram replied.H559H1870H5927H559H1870H4057H123 9The king of Edom and his troops joined them, and all three armies traveled along a roundabout route through the wilderness for seven days. But there was no water for the men or their animals.H4428H3478H3212H4428H3063H4428H123H5437H7651H3117H1870H4325H4264H929H7272 10"What should we do?" the king of Israel cried out. "The LORD has brought the three of us here to let the king of Moab defeat us."H4428H3478H559H162H3068H7121H7969H4428H7121H5414H3027H4124 11But King Jehoshaphat of Judah asked, "Is there no prophet of the LORD with us? If there is, we can ask the LORD what to do through him." One of King Joram's officers replied, "Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to be Elijah's personal assistant."H3092H559H5030H3068H1875H3068H259H4428H3478H5650H6030H559H477H1121H8202H3332H4325H3027H452 12Jehoshaphat said, "Yes, the LORD speaks through him." So the kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom went to consult with Elisha.H3092H559H1697H3068H3426H4428H3478H3092H4428H123H3381 13"Why are you coming to me?" Elisha asked the king of Israel. "Go to the pagan prophets of your father and mother!" But King Joram of Israel said, "No! For it was the LORD who called us three kings here—only to be defeated by the king of Moab!"H477H559H4428H3478H3212H5030H1H5030H517H4428H3478H559H3068H7121H7969H4428H7121H5414H3027H4124 14Elisha replied, "As surely as the LORD Almighty lives, whom I serve, I wouldn't even bother with you except for my respect for King Jehoshaphat of Judah.H477H559H3068H6635H2416H6440H5975H3884H5375H6440H3092H4428H3063H5027H7200 15Now bring me someone who can play the harp." While the harp was being played, the power of the LORD came upon Elisha,H3947H5059H5059H5059H3027H3068 16and he said, "This is what the LORD says: This dry valley will be filled with pools of water!H559H559H3068H6213H5158H1356 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.H559H3068H7200H7307H7200H1653H5158H4390H4325H8354H4735H929 18But this is only a simple thing for the LORD, for he will make you victorious over the army of Moab!H7043H5869H3068H5414H4124H3027 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."H5221H4013H5892H4004H5892H5307H2896H6086H5640H4599H4325H3510H2896H2513H68 20The next day at about the time when the morning sacrifice was offered, water suddenly appeared! It was flowing from the direction of Edom, and soon there was water everywhere.H1242H4503H5927H935H4325H1870H123H776H4390H4325 21Meanwhile, when the people of Moab heard about the three armies marching against them, they mobilized every man who was old enough to strap on a sword, and they stationed themselves along their border.H4124H8085H4428H5927H3898H6817H2296H2290H4605H5975H1366 22But when they got up the next morning, the sun was shining across the water, making it appear red to the Moabites—like blood.H7925H1242H8121H2224H4325H4124H7200H4325H5048H122H1818 23"It's blood!" the Moabites exclaimed. "The three armies must have attacked and killed each other! Let's go, men of Moab, and collect the plunder!"H559H1818H4428H2717H2717H5221H376H7453H4124H7998 24But when the Moabites arrived at the Israelite camp, the army of Israel rushed out and attacked them until they turned and ran. The army of Israel chased them into the land of Moab, destroying everything as they went.H935H4264H3478H3478H6965H5221H4124H5127H6440H5221H5221H4124 25They destroyed the towns, covered their good land with stones, stopped up all the springs, and cut down all the good trees. Finally, only Kir-hareseth and its stone walls were left, but men with slings surrounded and attacked it.H2040H5892H2896H2513H7993H376H68H4390H5640H4599H4325H5307H2896H6086H7025H7604H68H7051H5437H5221 26When the king of Moab saw that he was losing the battle, he led 700 of his swordsmen in a desperate attempt to break through the enemy lines near the king of Edom, but they failed.H4428H4124H7200H4421H2388H3947H7651H3967H376H8025H2719H1234H4428H123H3201 27Then the king of Moab took his oldest son, who would have been the next king, and sacrificed him as a burnt offering on the wall. So there was great anger against Israel, and the Israelites withdrew and returned to their own land.H3947H1060H1121H4427H5927H5930H2346H1419H7110H3478H5265H7725H776