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2 Kings

2 Kingschapter 3

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A.Mesha's sheep tribute stops; three kings march southvv. 1-8

1 In the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah, Jehoram son of Ahab became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria twelve years. 2 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as his father and mother had done. He removed the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made. 3 Nevertheless, he clung to the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them. 4 Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he would render to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams. 5 But after the death of Ahab, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 6 So at that time King Jehoram set out from Samaria and mobilized all Israel. 7 And he sent a message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?” “I will go,” replied Jehoshaphat. “I am like you, my people are your people, and my horses are your horses.” 8 Then he asked, “Which way shall we go up?” “By way of the Desert of Edom,” replied Joram.

B.Bring me a minstrel: make this valley full of trenchesvv. 9-19

9 So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom set out, and after they had traveled a roundabout route for seven days, they had no water for their army or for their animals. 10 “Alas,” said the king of Israel, “for the LORD has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab!” 11 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the LORD here? Let us inquire of the LORD through him.” And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.” 12 Jehoshaphat affirmed, “The word of the LORD is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. 13 Elisha, however, said to the king of Israel, “What have we to do with each other? Go to the prophets of your father and of your mother!” “No,” replied the king of Israel, “for it is the LORD who has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab.” 14 Then Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not for my regard for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you or acknowledge you. 15 But now, bring me a harpist.” And while the harpist played, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha 16 and he said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Dig this valley full of ditches.’ 17 For the LORD says, ‘You will not see wind or rain, but the valley will be filled with water, and you will drink—you and your cattle and your animals.’ 18 This is a simple matter in the sight of the LORD, and He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand. 19 And you shall attack every fortified city and every city of importance. You shall cut down every good tree, stop up every spring, and ruin every good field with stones.”

C.Water red as blood, and a king's son on the wallvv. 20-27

20 The next morning, at the time of the morning sacrifice, water suddenly flowed from the direction of Edom and filled the land. 21 Now all the Moabites had heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. So all who could bear arms, young and old, were summoned and stationed at the border. 22 When they got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water, and it looked as red as blood to the Moabites across the way. 23 “This is blood!” they exclaimed. “The kings have clashed swords and slaughtered one another. Now to the plunder, Moab!” 24 But when the Moabites came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and attacked them, and they fled before them. So the Israelites invaded their land and struck down the Moabites. 25 They destroyed the cities, and each man threw stones on every good field until it was covered. They stopped up every spring and cut down every good tree. Only Kir-haraseth was left with stones in place, but men with slings surrounded it and attacked it as well. 26 When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not prevail. 27 So he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him, and offered him as a burnt offering on the city wall. And there was great fury against the Israelites, so they withdrew and returned to their own land.

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition
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Chapter summary

Moab's king, a sheep-master paying a hundred thousand lambs in tribute, rebels at Ahab's death.

Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾

Moab's king, a sheep-master paying a hundred thousand lambs in tribute, rebels at Ahab's death. Joram, Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom march the long way round by the wilderness, and after seven days have no water for army or beasts. Jehoshaphat again asks for a prophet, and Elisha. Who will look toward Joram only for Jehoshaphat's sake. Calls for a minstrel, and as he plays the hand of Jehovah comes: 'Make this valley full of trenches.' Without wind or rain water comes by way of Edom at the morning offering; Moab sees it red as blood and rushes the camp, and is routed. The siege ends when Moab's king offers his eldest son on the wall.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament.

Context

History · Jeremiah — 2 Kings overview

  • A. 1–8 Mesha's sheep tribute stops; three kings march south
  • B. 9–19 Bring me a minstrel: make this valley full of trenches
  • C. 20–27 Water red as blood, and a king's son on the wall
Top cross-references8 chapters ▾
  • 1 Kings 225 verses
    • 1 Kings 22:4So he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight against Ramoth-gilead?” Jehoshaphat answered the king of Israel, “I am like you, my people are your people, and my horses are your horses.”
    • 1 Kings 22:6So the king of Israel assembled the prophets, about four hundred men, and asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?” “Go up,” they replied, “and the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
    • 1 Kings 22:7But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here of whom we can inquire?”
    • 1 Kings 22:47And there was no king in Edom; a deputy served as king.
    • 1 Kings 22:51In the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah, Ahaziah son of Ahab became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria two years.
    • Read 1 Kings 22 →
  • 2 Kings 34 verses
    • 2 Kings 3:3Nevertheless, he clung to the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.
    • 2 Kings 3:9So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom set out, and after they had traveled a roundabout route for seven days, they had no water for their army or for their animals.
    • 2 Kings 3:10“Alas,” said the king of Israel, “for the LORD has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab!”
    • 2 Kings 3:19And you shall attack every fortified city and every city of importance. You shall cut down every good tree, stop up every spring, and ruin every good field with stones.”
    • Read 2 Kings 3 →
  • 1 Samuel 153 verses
    • 1 Samuel 15:3Now go and attack the Amalekites and devote to destruction all that belongs to them. Do not spare them, but put to death men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”
    • 1 Samuel 15:4So Saul summoned the troops and numbered them at Telaim—200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah.
    • 1 Samuel 15:26“I will not return with you,” Samuel replied. “For you have rejected the word of the LORD, and He has rejected you as king over Israel.”
    • Read 1 Samuel 15 →
  • 2 Kings 12 verses
    • 2 Kings 1:1After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel.
    • 2 Kings 1:17So Ahaziah died according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken. And since he had no son, Jehoram succeeded him in the second year of the reign of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat over Judah.
    • Read 2 Kings 1 →
4 more chapters this one speaks with
  • 2 Kings 82 verses
    • 2 Kings 8:16In the fifth year of the reign of Joram son of Ahab over Israel, Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat succeeded his father as king of Judah.
    • 2 Kings 8:20In the days of Jehoram, Edom rebelled against the hand of Judah and appointed their own king.
    • Read 2 Kings 8 →
  • 2 Kings 102 verses
    • 2 Kings 10:18Then Jehu brought all the people together and said, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him a lot.
    • 2 Kings 10:26They brought out the sacred pillar of the temple of Baal and burned it.
    • Read 2 Kings 10 →
  • 2 Kings 152 verses
    • 2 Kings 15:9And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, as his fathers had done. He did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit.
    • 2 Kings 15:18And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and throughout his reign he did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit.
    • Read 2 Kings 15 →
  • 1 Kings 202 verses
    • 1 Kings 20:11And the king of Israel replied, “Tell him: ‘The one putting on his armor should not boast like one taking it off.’”
    • 1 Kings 20:27The Israelites also mobilized, gathered supplies, and marched out to meet them. The Israelites camped before them like two small flocks of goats, while the Arameans covered the countryside.
    • Read 1 Kings 20 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.