2 Kings

Continues the story of the divided kingdoms, their decline, and eventual exile.

Chapter 3

1 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.

Jehoram, Ahab's son, became king over Israel in Samaria during Jehoshaphat's 18th year as king in Judah, and ruled for 12 years.

2 And he wrought 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.

He did bad things that displeased God. He didn't act as badly as his dad, but also better than his mom. He removed a statue of Baal that his dad had created.

3 Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.

However, he continued to follow the sins of Jeroboam, son of Nebat, which caused Israel to sin and he did not change from this path.

4 And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool.

And King Mesha of Moab raised sheep and gave 100,000 lambs and 100,000 rams to the king of Israel, along with their wool.

5 But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

After Ahab died, the king of Moab refused to obey the king of Israel.

6 And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel.

King Jehoram left Samaria at the same time and counted all the people of Israel.

7 And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses.

He went and asked King Jehoshaphat of Judah if he would join him in fighting against Moab because their king had rebelled. King Jehoshaphat agreed, saying his people were just like Israel's people, and his horses were the same.

8 And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom.

He asked, "Which route should we take?" And he replied, "Let's go through the desert called Edom."

9 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.

The kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom traveled together. They walked for seven days and found no water for themselves or their animals.

10 And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!

The king of Israel said, "Oh no! God has brought these three kings together so they can be handed over to Moab."

11 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may enquire 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.

But Jehoshaphat asked, Isn't there a prophet we can ask for guidance from God? Yes, replied one of Israel's kings' helpers, there's Elisha, son of Shaphat, who washed Elijah's hands with water.

12 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.

Jehoshaphat said, "God's message is with him." So, the kings of Israel, Jehoshaphat, and Edom went to meet him.

13 And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.

Elisha told the king, "Why are we talking? Go ask your father's and mother's prophets for help." But the king said, "No, the Lord brought us three kings together so we can be helped by Moab."

14 And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.

Elisha said, "I promise, as long as I live, I wouldn't even look at you if it wasn't for King Jehoshaphat of Judah being here."

15 But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.

But now, get a musician. And when the musician started playing, then the power of God took hold of him.

16 And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches.

And he said, So God tells me, Fill this valley with trenches.

17 For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.

The Lord says, "You won't see wind or rain, but that valley will have water for you and your animals to drink."

18 And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.

This means that God sees this as a small task, and he will help you defeat the Moabites too.

19 And ye 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.

You must attack all fortified cities and important places, cut down all good trees, block all water sources, and ruin all good land with rocks.

20 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.

In the morning, when people offered their meat sacrifices, suddenly water from Edom started flowing, and the area became flooded with water.

21 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 armour, and upward, and stood in the border.

When the Moabites heard the kings were coming to fight, they gathered everyone who could wear armor and more, then stood at their border.

22 And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood:

In the morning, the sun shined on the water. The Moabites saw the water on the other side, and it looked like blood.

23 And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.

They said, "This is blood; the kings must be dead, and they've hurt each other. So, Moab, it's time to take what they left behind."

24 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.

When the Israelites arrived at their camp, the Israelites attacked the Moabites, causing them to run away. The Israelites continued to attack the Moabites in their own land.

25 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; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it.

They destroyed the cities and threw rocks on all good land. They also blocked all water sources and cut down all useful trees, except for some stones in Kirharaseth. The slingers then attacked that one too.

26 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 unto the king of Edom: but they could not.

When the Moab king saw the fight was too difficult, he brought 700 sword-carrying men to reach the Edom king, but they failed.

27 Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.

Then he chose his oldest son who should have been king after him and burned him as a sacrifice on a wall. People were very angry with Israel, so they left him and went back to their own land.

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