< 2 Kings 3 >

1 Nowe Iehoram the sonne of Ahab beganne to reigne ouer Israel in Samaria, the eighteenth yeere of Iehoshaphat King of Iudah, and reigned twelue yeeres.
Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.
2 And he wrought euill in the sight of the Lord, but not like his father nor like his mother: for he tooke away the image of Baal that his father had made.
And he worked 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.
3 Neuerthelesse, he cleaued vnto the sinnes of Ieroboam, the sonne of Nebat, which made Israel to sinne, and departed not therefrom.
Nevertheless he joined to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.
4 Then Mesha King of Moab had store of sheepe, and rendred vnto the King of Israel an hundreth thousande lambes, and an hundreth thousande rammes with the wooll.
And Mesha king of Moab was a sheep master, and rendered to the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool.
5 But when Ahab was dead, the king of Moab rebelled against the King of Israel.
But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
6 Therefore King Iehoram went out of Samaria the same season, and nombred all Israel,
And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel.
7 And went, and sent to Iehoshaphat King of Iudah, saying, The King of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou goe with me to battell against Moab? And he answered, I will goe vp: for I am, as thou art, my people, as thy people, and mine horses as thine horses.
And 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? And he said, I will go up: I am as you are, my people as your people, and my horses as your horses.
8 Then said he, What way shall we goe vp? And he answered, The way of the wildernesse of Edom.
And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom.
9 So went the King of Israel and the king of Iudah, and the King of Edom, and when they had compassed the way seuen dayes, they had no water for the hoste, nor for the cattell that followed them.
So 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.
10 Therefore the King of Israel sayde, Alas, that the Lord hath called these three Kings, to giue them into the hand of Moab.
And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the LORD has called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!
11 But Iehoshaphat saide, Is there not here a Prophet of the Lord, that we may inquire of the Lord by him? And one of the King of Israels seruants answered, and said, Here is Elisha the sonne of Shaphat, which powred water on the handes of Eliiah.
But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may inquire 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.
12 Then Iehoshaphat saide, The worde of the Lord is with him. Therefore the King of Israel, and Iehoshaphat, and the King of Edom went downe to him.
And 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.
13 And Elisha sayde vnto the King of Israel, What haue I to doe with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father and to the prophets of thy mother. And the King of Israel saide vnto him, Nay: for the Lord hath called these three Kings, to giue them into the hande of Moab.
And Elisha said to the king of Israel, What have I to do with you? get you to the prophets of your father, and to the prophets of your mother. And the king of Israel said to him, No: for the LORD has called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.
14 Then Elisha said, As the Lord of hostes liueth, in whose sight I stande, if it were not, that I regarde the presence of Iehoshaphat the King of Iudah, I woulde not haue looked towarde thee, nor seene thee.
And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward you, nor see you.
15 But nowe bring me a minstrel. And when the minstrel played, the hand of the Lord came vpon him.
But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came on him.
16 And he saide, Thus saith the Lord, Make this valley full of ditches.
And he said, Thus says the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches.
17 For thus saith the Lord, Ye shall neither see winde nor see raine, yet the valley shalbe filled with water, that ye may drinke, both ye and your cattel, and your beastes.
For thus says the LORD, You shall not see wind, neither shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that you may drink, both you, and your cattle, and your beasts.
18 But this is a small thing in the sight of the Lord: for he will giue Moab into your hande.
And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.
19 And ye shall smite euery strong towne and euery chiefe citie, and shall fell euery faire tree, and shall stoppe all the fountaines of water, and marre euery good fielde with stones.
And you 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.
20 And in the morning whe the meat offring was offred, beholde, there came water by the way of Edom: and the countrey was filled with water.
And 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.
21 And when al the Moabites heard that the Kings were come vp to fight against them, they gathered all that was able to put on harnesse, and vpwarde, and stood in their border.
And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armor, and upward, and stood in the border.
22 And they rose earely in the morning, when the sunne arose vpon the water, and the Moabites saw the water ouer against them, as red as blood.
And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood:
23 And they saide, This is blood the Kings are surely slaine, and one hath smitten another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoyle.
And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.
24 And when they came to the host of Israel, the Israelites arose vp, and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them, but they inuaded them, and smote Moab.
And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward smiting the Moabites, even in their country.
25 And they destroyed the cities: and on all the good field euery man cast his stone, and filled them and they stopt all the fountaines of water, and felled all the good trees: onely in Kirharaseth left they the stones thereof: howebeit they went about it with slings, and smote it.
And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees: only in Kirharaseth left they the stones thereof; however, the slingers went about it, and smote it.
26 And when the King of Moab saw that the battel was too sore for him, he tooke with him seuen hudreth men that drew the sword, to break through vnto the King of Edom: but they could not.
And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through even to the king of Edom: but they could not.
27 Then he tooke his eldest sonne, that should haue reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offring vpon the wall: so that Israel was sore grieued, and they departed from him, and returned to their countrey.
Then he took his oldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.

< 2 Kings 3 >