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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//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"><title>2 Kings 3 CEV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /></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="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">CEV</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">Contemporary English Version</div><div class="chap"><h3 class="s1">King Joram of Israel</h3><p class="par"><span class="v12_3_1"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.1" class="v12_3_1">1</span>Joram<a href="#fn" id="link_2Kgs.3.1!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> son of Ahab became king of Israel in Jehoshaphat's eighteenth year as king of Judah.<a href="#fn" id="link_2Kgs.3.1!f.2" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> Joram ruled twelve years from Samaria </span><span class="v12_3_2"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.2" class="v12_3_2">2</span>and disobeyed the <span class="nd">Lord</span> by doing wrong. He tore down the stone image his father had made to honor Baal, and so he wasn't as sinful as his parents. </span><span class="v12_3_3"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.3" class="v12_3_3">3</span>But he kept doing the sinful things that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to do.<a href="#fn" id="link_2Kgs.3.3!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span></p><h3 class="s1">The Country of Moab Rebels against Israel</h3><p class="par"><span class="v12_3_4"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.4" class="v12_3_4">4</span>For many years the country of Moab had been controlled by Israel and was forced to pay taxes to the kings of Israel. King Mesha of Moab raised sheep, so he paid the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool from 100,000 rams. </span><span class="v12_3_5"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.5" class="v12_3_5">5</span>But soon after the death of Ahab, Mesha rebelled against Israel.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_3_6"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.6" class="v12_3_6">6</span>One day, Joram left Samaria and called together Israel's army. </span><span class="v12_3_7"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.7" class="v12_3_7">7</span>He sent this message to King Jehoshaphat of Judah, “The king of Moab has rebelled. Will you go with me to attack him?”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_3_7">“Yes, I will,” Jehoshaphat answered. “I'm on your side, and my soldiers and horses are at your command. </span><span class="v12_3_8"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.8" class="v12_3_8">8</span>But which way should we go?”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_3_8">“We will march through Edom Desert,” Joram replied.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_3_9"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.9" class="v12_3_9">9</span>So Joram, Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom led their troops out. But seven days later, there was no drinking water left for them or their animals. </span><span class="v12_3_10"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.10" class="v12_3_10">10</span>Joram cried out, “This is terrible! The <span class="nd">Lord</span> must have led us out here to be captured by Moab's army.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_3_11"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.11" class="v12_3_11">11</span>Jehoshaphat said, “Which of the <span class="nd">Lord</span>'s prophets is with us? We can find out from him what the <span class="nd">Lord</span> wants us to do.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_3_11">One of Joram's officers answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He was one of Elijah's closest followers.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_3_12"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.12" class="v12_3_12">12</span>Jehoshaphat replied, “He can give us the <span class="nd">Lord</span>'s message.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_3_12">The three kings went over to Elisha, </span><span class="v12_3_13"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.13" class="v12_3_13">13</span>and he asked Joram, “Why did you come to me? Go talk to the prophets of the foreign gods your parents worshiped.”<a href="#fn" id="link_2Kgs.3.13!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_3_13">“No,” Joram answered. “It was the <span class="nd">Lord</span> who led us out here, so that Moab's army could capture us.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_3_14"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.14" class="v12_3_14">14</span>Elisha said to him, “I serve the <span class="nd">Lord</span> All-Powerful, and as surely as he lives, I swear I wouldn't even look at you if I didn't respect King Jehoshaphat.” </span><span class="v12_3_15"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.15" class="v12_3_15">15</span>Then Elisha said, “Send for someone who can play the harp.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_3_15">The harpist began playing, and the <span class="nd">Lord</span> gave Elisha this message for Joram:</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v12_3_16"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.16" class="v12_3_16">16</span>The <span class="nd">Lord</span> says that this dry riverbed will be filled with water.<a href="#fn" id="link_2Kgs.3.16!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span><span class="v12_3_17"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.17" class="v12_3_17">17</span>You won't feel any wind or see any rain, but there will be plenty of water for you and your animals.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v12_3_18"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.18" class="v12_3_18">18</span>That simple thing isn't all the <span class="nd">Lord</span> is going to do. He will also help you defeat Moab's army. </span><span class="v12_3_19"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.19" class="v12_3_19">19</span>You will capture all their walled cities and important towns. You will chop down every good tree and stop up every spring of water, then ruin their fertile fields by covering them with rocks.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_3_20"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.20" class="v12_3_20">20</span>The next morning, while the sacrifice was being offered, water suddenly started flowing from the direction of Edom, and it flooded the land.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_3_21"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.21" class="v12_3_21">21</span>Meanwhile, the people of Moab had heard that the three kings were coming to attack them. They had called together all of their fighting men, from the youngest to the oldest, and these troops were now standing at their border, ready for battle. </span><span class="v12_3_22"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.22" class="v12_3_22">22</span>When they got up that morning, the sun was shining across the water, making it look red. The Moabite troops took one look </span><span class="v12_3_23"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.23" class="v12_3_23">23</span>and shouted, “Look at that blood! The armies of those kings must have fought and killed each other. Come on, let's go take what's left in their camp.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_3_24"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.24" class="v12_3_24">24</span>But when they arrived at Israel's camp, the Israelite soldiers came out and attacked them, until they turned and ran away. Israel's army chased them all the way back to Moab, and even there they kept up the attack.<a href="#fn" id="link_2Kgs.3.24!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span><span class="v12_3_25"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.25" class="v12_3_25">25</span>The Israelites destroyed the Moabite towns. They chopped down the good trees and stopped up the springs of water, then covered the fertile fields with rocks.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_3_25">Finally, the only city left standing was Kir-Hareseth, but soldiers armed with slings surrounded and attacked it. </span><span class="v12_3_26"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.26" class="v12_3_26">26</span>King Mesha of Moab saw that he was about to be defeated. So he took along 700 soldiers with swords and tried to break through the front line where the Edomite troops were positioned. But he failed. </span><span class="v12_3_27"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.3.27" class="v12_3_27">27</span>He then grabbed his oldest son who was to be the next king and sacrificed him as an offering on the city wall. The Israelite troops were so horrified that<a href="#fn" id="link_2Kgs.3.27!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> they left the city and went back home.</span></p> <a name="fn"></a><br /><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:<br /><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">3.1 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Joram: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">See the note at 1.17.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">3.1 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Joram … Judah: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">See 1.17 and the note there; see also 8.16.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">3.3 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">the sinful things … to do: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">When Jeroboam became king of Israel, he made two gold statues of calves and put them in the towns of Bethel and Dan, so the people of Israel could worship them (see 1 Kings 12.26-30).</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">3.13 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">the prophets … worshiped: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">These were prophets of the Canaanite god Baal and the goddess Asherah (see 1 Kings 16.30-33; 18.19).</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">3.16 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">that … water: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Or “to dig holes everywhere in this riverbed.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">3.24 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">chased … attack: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">3.27 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">The Israelite … that: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.</char></note></div></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">© 2006 American Bible Society. 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