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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>2 Kings 3 ISV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/2_kings/3.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/2_kings/3-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">ISV</a> > 2 Kings 3</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../2_kings/2.htm" title="2 Kings 2">◄</a> 2 Kings 3 <a href="../2_kings/4.htm" title="2 Kings 4">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">International Standard Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/isv/esv/2_kings/3.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="heading">Jehoram Becomes King</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>Ahab’s son Jehoram ascended to the throne of Israel at Samaria during the eighteenth year of the reign of Judah’s king Jehoshaphat. He reigned for twelve years, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>practicing evil in the LORD’s presence,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="3:2 Lit. sight">a</a></span> only not to the extent that his mother and father had done<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="3:2 The Heb. lacks had done">b</a></span> —he forced abolition of the sacred pillar to Baal<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="3:2 i.e. the main Canaanite male deity, and so throughout the book">c</a></span> that his father had crafted. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>Even so,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="3:3 Lit. Only">d</a></span> he kept on committing the sins that Nebat’s son Jeroboam had done, which ensnared Israel in sin—he never abandoned them.</p> <p class="heading">Moab Rebels against Israel</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>Meanwhile, Moab’s king Mesha was a sheep breeder. He used to pay 100,000 lambs and the wool from 100,000 rams to the king of Israel as tribute. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>After Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>So king Jehoram left Samaria at that time<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="3:6 Lit. in those days">e</a></span> and mustered the entire army of<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="3:6 The Heb. lacks army of">f</a></span> Israel. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>As he was going out, he sent this message<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="3:7 The Heb. lacks this message">g</a></span> to King Jehoshaphat of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight Moab?”</p> <p class="reg">“I’m coming,” Jehoshaphat<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="3:7 Lit. He">h</a></span> replied. “I’m like you! My army will act like your army and my cavalry like your cavalry,” Then Jehoshaphat<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="3:7 Lit. He">i</a></span> added: <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>“What road do we take?”</p> <p class="reg">Jehoram<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="3:8 Lit. He">j</a></span> answered, “We’ll go along the Edom desert road.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom made a complete circuit on the road for seven days, but there was no water for the army or for the livestock that accompanied<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="3:9 Or followed">k</a></span> them.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>Then the king of Israel remarked, “Oh no! The LORD has summoned us three kings so he can hand us over to Moab, hasn’t he?”</p> <p class="heading">The Kings Seek Elisha’s Counsel</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet who belongs to the LORD and through whom we can ask the LORD a question?”</p> <p class="reg">One of the king of Israel’s attendants replied, “Shaphat’s son Elisha lives here. He used to be Elijah’s personal attendant.”<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="3:11 to pour water on Elijah’s hands">l</a></span> </p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>Jehoshaphat answered, “He receives messages from<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="3:12 Lit. He has the word of">m</a></span> the LORD.” So the king of Israel, Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom went to visit Elisha.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="3:12 Lit. him">n</a></span> </p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>Elisha asked the king of Israel, “What do I have in common<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="3:13 The Heb. lacks in common">o</a></span> with you? Go visit your parents’ prophets.”<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="3:13 Lit. the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother">p</a></span> </p> <p class="reg">The king of Israel replied, “No! The LORD has summoned these three kings so he can hand them over to Moab!”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>But Elisha responded, “As the LORD of the Heavenly Armies lives, in whose presence I stand, I would never pay attention to you or even look in your direction were it not for my continuous respect for the presence of King Jehoshaphat of Judah. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>Now bring me a musician.”</p> <p class="reg">As the musician played, the hand of the LORD rested on Elisha, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>so he said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Fill this valley with trench after trench!’ <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>This is what the LORD says: ‘Though you won’t see wind or storm, nevertheless that river<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="3:17 Or seasonal stream">q</a></span> will overflow with water so that you, your cattle, and your livestock may drink.’ <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>And this is the easy part for the LORD<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="3:18 Lit. part in the LORD’s eyes">r</a></span> —he’s also going to hand the Moabites over to you! <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>Then you are to attack every fortified city and every significant city. Cut down every significant tree, fill in all of the water springs, and ruin every prime piece of land with stones.”</p> <p class="heading">War with Moab</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>The very next day, about the time of the morning offering, water suddenly appeared, coming from the direction of Edom, and the land overflowed with water! <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>Meanwhile, all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to attack them, so everyone old enough to wear battle armor was mustered to stand guard at the border. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>As the Moabites arose early that morning, the sun cast its rays on the water, and to the Moabites, the water across from them appeared to be red like blood. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>So they concluded,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="3:23 Lit. said">s</a></span> “This must be blood! The kings must have had one mighty big fight and each man killed the other! So let’s go get the battle spoil, Moab!”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>But when the Moabites arrived at the Israeli encampment, the Israelis got up and attacked them. The Moabites ran away from the Israelis,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="3:24 Lit. of them">t</a></span> who followed them into the land as they continued their pursuit against Moab. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>They destroyed their cities, and all of them threw stones onto every piece of farm<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="3:25 Or good">u</a></span> land, ruining the fields.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="3:25 i.e. for future cultivation">v</a></span> Then they filled in all the water wells<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="3:25 Or springs">w</a></span> and chopped down all of the useful<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="3:25 Or good">x</a></span> trees. Stone walls remained surrounding Kir-hareseth only, until the archers surrounded and attacked that city. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>When the king of Moab realized that the battle was going strongly against him, he took 700 expert swordsmen to attempt to break through to the king of Edom, but was unable to do so. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/3-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>So he took his firstborn son, whom he intended to reign after him, and offered him up as a burnt offering on the wall. There subsequently came great anger against Israel, so they abandoned the attack and returned to their homeland.</p><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><A name="ftn"></a><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="fn1"><span class="fnb">a</span> 3:2 Lit. <i>sight</i><br /><span class="fnb">b</span> 3:2 The Heb. lacks <i>had done</i><br /><span class="fnb">c</span> 3:2 i.e. the main Canaanite male deity, and so throughout the book<br /><span class="fnb">d</span> 3:3 Lit. <i>Only</i><br /><span class="fnb">e</span> 3:6 Lit. <i>in those days</i><br /><span class="fnb">f</span> 3:6 The Heb. lacks <i>army of</i><br /><span class="fnb">g</span> 3:7 The Heb. lacks <i>this message</i><br /><span class="fnb">h</span> 3:7 Lit. <i>He</i><br /><span class="fnb">i</span> 3:7 Lit. <i>He</i><br /><span class="fnb">j</span> 3:8 Lit. <i>He</i><br /><span class="fnb">k</span> 3:9 Or <i>followed</i><br /><span class="fnb">l</span> 3:11<i>to pour water on Elijah’s hands</i><br /><span class="fnb">m</span> 3:12 Lit. <i>He has the word of</i><br /><span class="fnb">n</span> 3:12 Lit. <i>him</i><br /><span class="fnb">o</span> 3:13 The Heb. lacks <i>in common</i><br /><span class="fnb">p</span> 3:13 Lit. <i>the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother</i><br /><span class="fnb">q</span> 3:17 Or <i>seasonal stream</i><br /><span class="fnb">r</span> 3:18 Lit. <i>part in the LORD’s eyes</i><br /><span class="fnb">s</span> 3:23 Lit. <i>said</i><br /><span class="fnb">t</span> 3:24 Lit. <i>of them</i><br /><span class="fnb">u</span> 3:25 Or <i>good</i><br /><span class="fnb">v</span> 3:25 i.e. for future cultivation<br /><span class="fnb">w</span> 3:25 Or <i>springs</i><br /><span class="fnb">x</span> 3:25 Or <i>good</i><br /></span><br><br><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><div align="center"><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1<br />Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation<br />ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a></div></div></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../2_kings/2.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="2 Kings 2"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="2 Kings 2" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../2_kings/4.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="2 Kings 4"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="2 Kings 4" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="rightbox"><div class="padright"><div id="pic"><iframe width="100%" height="860" scrolling="no" src="//biblescan.com/mpc/2_kings/3-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></div></div><div id="rightbox4"><div class="padright2"><div id="spons1"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td class="sp1"><iframe width="122" height="860" scrolling="no" src="../sidemenu.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="bot"><div align="center" style="background-color:#F2FAFF"><br /><br /><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="6710025936" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></td></tr></table><br /><br /><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="6710025936" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /> </div><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="//biblehu.com/botmenubhnm2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe><div align="center"><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span></div></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>