2 Kings 3 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

Jehoram son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he ruled for twelve years.

He did what Yahweh considered wrong, though not as badly as his father and mother had. He did remove the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made.

But he still clung to the failures of Jeroboam son of Nebat — the ones that dragged Israel into corruption. He never turned away from them.

Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he used to pay tribute to the king of Israel — a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams.

But when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

So King Jehoram marched out of Samaria at that time and mobilized all of Israel.

He also sent word to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: "The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you come fight Moab with me?" Jehoshaphat replied, "I'll go. Consider me and my forces yours — my people are your people, my horses are your horses."

Then he asked, "Which route should we take?" Jehoram answered, "Through the wilderness of Edom."

So the king of Israel set out, along with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. After circling around for seven days, there was no water left for the army or for the animals they had with them.

The king of Israel said, "This is terrible! Yahweh has called these three kings together just to hand us over to Moab!"

But Jehoshaphat asked, "Isn't there a prophet of Yahweh here we could consult?" One of the king of Israel's officers answered, "Elisha son of Shaphat is here — the one who used to pour water over Elijah's hands."

Jehoshaphat said, "Yahweh's word is with him." So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to see him.

Elisha said to the king of Israel, "What do I have to do with you? Go ask your father's prophets and your mother's prophets!" But the king of Israel said to him, "No — because Yahweh has called these three kings together to hand us over to Moab."

Elisha replied, "As Yahweh of Armies lives — the one I serve — if it weren't for my respect for Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I wouldn't even look at you or acknowledge you."

"Now bring me a musician." And as the musician played, the power of Yahweh came on Elisha,

and he said, "This is what Yahweh says: 'Dig this valley full of trenches.'

"For this is what Yahweh says: 'You won't see wind, and you won't see rain, but this valley will fill with water. You'll drink — you, your livestock, and your pack animals.'"

"And even that is a small thing in Yahweh's eyes. He will also hand Moab over to you."

"You will strike down every fortified city and every major town. You will cut down every good tree, stop up every spring, and ruin every productive field with stones."

And it happened in the morning, right when the grain offering was being presented, that suddenly water came flowing from the direction of Edom, and the land was filled with water.

Meanwhile, all the Moabites had heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. Everyone who could strap on a belt — from the youngest soldier to the oldest — was called up and stationed at the border.

When they got up early the next morning, the sun was shining on the water, and the Moabites across the way saw the water looking red — like blood.

They said, "That's blood! The kings must have turned on each other and slaughtered one another! Now then, Moab — to the plunder!"

But when they reached the Israelite camp, the Israelites rose up and attacked them, and the Moabites fled before them. The Israelites advanced, striking down the Moabites as they went.

They tore down the cities, and each soldier threw a stone onto every productive field until they were covered. They stopped up every spring and cut down every good tree. Only Kir-hareseth was left standing, but even that the slingers surrounded and attacked.

When the king of Moab saw that the battle was going against him, he took seven hundred swordsmen and tried to break through to the king of Edom, but they couldn't get through.

Then he took his firstborn son — the one who would have been the next king — and sacrificed him as a burnt offering on the city wall. A terrible fury came down on Israel, and they pulled back from him and returned to their own land.