War against Moab
1Joram son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years. 2He did what was evil in the eyes of Yahweh, though not like his father and mother, for he removed the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made. 3Yet he clung to the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had led Israel to sin — he did not turn away from them. 4Now Mesha, king of Moab, raised sheep, and he used to pay the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams. 5But when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 6So King Joram set out from Samaria at that time and mustered all Israel. 7He also sent word to Jehoshaphat, king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?” Jehoshaphat replied, “I will go. I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” 8Then he asked, “Which way shall we go up?” Joram answered, “By way of the wilderness of Edom.” 9So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom set out. After a roundabout march of seven days, there was no water for the army or for the animals that followed them. 10The king of Israel said, “This is terrible! Yahweh has called these three kings together only to hand them over to Moab.” 11But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of Yahweh here, through whom we could inquire of Yahweh?” One of the officers of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here — the one who used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.” 12Jehoshaphat said, “The word of Yahweh is with him.” So the king of Israel, Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom went down to him. 13Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What do you and I have to do with each other? Go to the prophets of your father and your mother.” The king of Israel said to him, “No — Yahweh has called these three kings together only to hand them over to Moab.” 14Elisha said, “As Yahweh of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not that I have regard for Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, I would not even look at you, nor pay you any attention. 15But now, bring me a musician.” And as the musician played, the hand of Yahweh came upon him, 16and he said, “This is what Yahweh says: Make this ravine full of pools. 17For this is what Yahweh says: You will not see wind, and you will not see rain, yet this ravine will be filled with water, and you, your livestock, and your other animals will drink. 18This is a light thing in the eyes of Yahweh. He will also hand Moab over to you. 19You will strike down every fortified city and every choice city, cut down every good tree, stop up every spring of water, and ruin every good field with stones.” 20The next morning, at the time the grain offering was presented, water suddenly came flowing from the direction of Edom, and the land was filled with water. 21Now all the Moabites had heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, and every man old enough to bear arms was called out and stationed at the border. 22They rose early in the morning, and the sun was shining on the water. To the Moabites, looking from a distance, the water appeared red as blood. 23They said, “That is blood! The kings must have fought each other and killed one another. Now, Moab, to the plunder!” 24But when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and struck down the Moabites, who fled before them. They pressed on, striking down the Moabites as they went, 25tearing down the cities. On every good field each man threw his stone until it was covered, they stopped up every spring of water, and they cut down every good tree — until only Kir-haraseth was left with its stones standing, and even that the slingers surrounded and attacked. 26When 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 could not. 27So he took his firstborn son, who was to reign in his place, and offered him as a burnt offering on the city wall. Great wrath came upon Israel, and they withdrew from him and returned to their own land.
