2 Kings · Majority Standard Bible
2 Kings 3 Majority Standard Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 In the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah, Jehoram son of Ahab became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria twelve years.
1 Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in 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 as his father and mother had done. He removed the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made.
2 He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, but not like his father and like his mother, for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made.
3 Nevertheless, he clung to the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.
3 Nevertheless he held to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin. He didn’t depart from them.
4 Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he would render to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams.
4 Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder; and he supplied the king of Israel with one hundred thousand lambs and the wool of one hundred thousand rams.
5 But after the death of Ahab, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
5 But when Ahab was dead, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
6 So at that time King Jehoram set out from Samaria and mobilized all Israel.
6 King Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time, and mustered all Israel.
7 And he sent a message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?” “I will go,” replied Jehoshaphat. “I am as you are, my people are your people, and my horses are your horses.”
7 He went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me against Moab to battle?” He said, “I will go up. I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”
8 Then he asked, “Which way shall we go up?” “By way of the Desert of Edom,” replied Joram.
8 Then he said, “Which way shall we go up?” Jehoram answered, “The way of the wilderness of Edom.”
9 So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom set out, and after they had traveled a roundabout route for seven days, they had no water for their army or for their animals.
9 So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom, and they marched for seven days along a circuitous route. There was no water for the army or for the animals that followed them.
10 “Alas,” said the king of Israel, “for the LORD has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab!”
10 The king of Israel said, “Alas! For Yahweh has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”
11 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the LORD here? Let us inquire of the LORD through him.” And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.”
11 But Jehoshaphat said, “Isn’t there a prophet of Yahweh here, that we may inquire of Yahweh by him?” One of the king of Israel’s servants answered, “Elisha the son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah, is here.”
12 Jehoshaphat affirmed, “The word of the LORD is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
12 Jehoshaphat said, “Yahweh’s word is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
13 Elisha, however, said to the king of Israel, “What have we to do with each other? Go to the prophets of your father and of your mother!” “No,” replied the king of Israel, “for it is the LORD who has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”
13 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.” The king of Israel said to him, “No, for Yahweh has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”
14 Then Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not for my regard for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you or acknowledge you.
14 Elisha said, “As Yahweh of Armies lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I respect the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward you, nor see you.
15 But now, bring me a harpist.” And while the harpist played, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha
15 But now bring me a musician.” When the musician played, Yahweh’s hand came on him.
16 and he said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Dig this valley full of ditches.’
16 He said, “Yahweh says, ‘Make this valley full of trenches.’
17 For the LORD says, ‘You will not see wind or rain, but the valley will be filled with water, and you will drink—you and your cattle and your animals.’
17 For Yahweh says, ‘You will not see wind, neither will you see rain, yet that valley will be filled with water, and you will drink, both you and your livestock and your other animals.
18 This is a simple matter in the sight of the LORD, and He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand.
18 This is an easy thing in Yahweh’s sight. He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand.
19 And you shall attack every fortified city and every city of importance. You shall cut down every good tree, stop up every spring, and ruin every good field with stones.”
19 You shall strike every fortified city and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all springs of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.’”
20 The next morning, at the time of the morning sacrifice, water suddenly flowed from the direction of Edom and filled the land.
20 In the morning, about the time of offering the sacrifice, behold, water came by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.
21 Now all the Moabites had heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. So all who could bear arms, young and old, were summoned and stationed at the border.
21 Now when all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, they gathered themselves together, all who were able to put on armor, young and old, and stood on the border.
22 When they got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water, and it looked as red as blood to the Moabites across the way.
22 They rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood.
23 “This is blood!” they exclaimed. “The kings have clashed swords and slaughtered one another. Now to the plunder, Moab!”
23 They said, “This is blood. The kings are surely destroyed, and they have struck each other. Now therefore, Moab, to the plunder!”
24 But when the Moabites came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and attacked them, and they fled before them. So the Israelites invaded their land and struck down the Moabites.
24 When they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and struck the Moabites, so that they fled before them; and they went forward into the land attacking the Moabites.
25 They destroyed the cities, and each man threw stones on every good field until it was covered. They stopped up every spring and cut down every good tree. Only Kir-haraseth was left with stones in place, but men with slings surrounded it and attacked it as well.
25 They beat down the cities; and on every good piece of land each man cast his stone, and filled it. They also stopped all the springs of water and cut down all the good trees, until in Kir Hareseth all they left was its stones; however the men armed with slings went around it and attacked it.
26 When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not prevail.
26 When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too severe for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew a sword, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not.
27 So he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him, and offered him as a burnt offering on the city wall. And there was great fury against the Israelites, so they withdrew and returned to their own land.
27 Then he took his oldest son who would have reigned in his place, and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall. There was great wrath against Israel; and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Jehoram
Ahab's son, who succeeded his brother Ahaziah, reigned twelve years in Samaria, removed Baal's sacred pillar yet clung to Jeroboam's sins, campaigned against Moab with…
Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 1:17; 2 Kings 3:1; 2 Kings 3:8
Mesha
A sheep breeder who paid Israel a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams, rebelled after Ahab's death, and offered his firstborn son as a burnt offering on…
Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 3:4
Shaphat
Named as the father of the prophet Elisha, from Abel-meholah.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 19:16; 1 Kings 19:19; 2 Kings 3:11
Cross references (25)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 2 Kings 1:17; 1 Kings 22:51; 2 Kings 8:16
- 2 2 Kings 10:18; 2 Kings 10:26–28; 1 Kings 21:25; Exodus 23:24; 2 Kings 9:34
- 3 1 Kings 14:16; 1 Kings 15:26; 2 Kings 15:18; 1 Kings 15:34; 2 Kings 14:24
- 4 Genesis 26:13–14; 2 Samuel 8:2; Job 1:3; 1 Chronicles 18:2; Psalm 60:8
- 5 2 Kings 1:1; 2 Kings 8:20; 2 Chronicles 21:8–10
- 6 1 Kings 20:27; 1 Samuel 15:4; 1 Samuel 11:8; 2 Samuel 24:1–25
- 7 1 Kings 22:4; 2 Chronicles 18:3; 2 Chronicles 22:10–12; 2 Chronicles 22:3–4; 2 Chronicles 18:29–32
- 8 Malachi 1:2–3; Numbers 21:4
- 9 1 Kings 22:47; Exodus 17:1; Numbers 20:2; Numbers 33:14; 1 Kings 22:27
- 10 Genesis 4:13; Proverbs 19:3; Psalm 78:34–36; Isaiah 51:20; 2 Kings 6:33
- 11 1 Kings 22:7; 1 Kings 19:21; 2 Kings 3:3; 2 Kings 2:25–3:1; Psalm 74:9
- 12 2 Kings 2:21; Isaiah 49:23; 2 Kings 2:24–25; 2 Kings 2:14–15; 1 Samuel 3:19–21
- 13 1 Kings 22:6; 1 Kings 18:19; 2 Kings 3:10; 1 Kings 22:22–25; Deuteronomy 32:37–39
- 14 2 Kings 5:16; 1 Kings 17:1; Jeremiah 1:18; 2 Chronicles 19:3–4; 1 Kings 14:5–18
- 15 1 Samuel 16:23; Ephesians 5:18–19; 1 Samuel 10:5; Ezekiel 1:3; 1 Kings 18:46
- 17 Psalm 107:35; Isaiah 41:17–18; Isaiah 48:21; Isaiah 43:19–20; Psalm 84:6
- 18 Luke 1:37; Jeremiah 32:27; Jeremiah 32:17; 2 Kings 20:10; Ephesians 3:20
- 19 1 Samuel 15:3; Judges 6:16; 2 Kings 13:17; 2 Kings 3:25; Numbers 24:17
- 20 Exodus 29:39–40; Isaiah 35:6–7; 1 Kings 18:36; Psalm 78:20; Psalm 78:15–16
- 21 1 Kings 20:11; Ephesians 6:14
- 23 2 Chronicles 20:25; Exodus 15:9; Judges 5:30; 2 Kings 6:18–20; 2 Kings 7:6
- 24 1 Thessalonians 5:3–4; Judges 20:40–46; Joshua 8:20–22
- 25 Jeremiah 48:36; Jeremiah 48:31; Isaiah 16:7; 2 Kings 3:19; Isaiah 16:11
- 26 Amos 2:1; 2 Kings 3:9
- 27 Micah 6:7; Deuteronomy 12:31; Judges 11:31; Ezekiel 16:20; Amos 2:1
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences