2 Kings 3

1 Now Yehoram the son of Ach'av began to reign over Yisra'el in Shomron in the eighteenth year of Yehoshafat king of Yehudah, and reigned twelve years.

2 He did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, but not like his father, and like his mother; for he put away the pillar of Ba`al that his father had made.

3 Nevertheless he cleaved to the sins of Yarov`am the son of Nevat, with which he made Yisra'el to sin; he didn't depart from it.

4 Now Mesha king of Mo'av was a sheep-master; and he rendered to the king of Yisra'el the wool of one hundred thousand lambs, and of one hundred thousand rams.

5 But it happened, when Ach'av was dead, that the king of Mo'av rebelled against the king of Yisra'el.

6 King Yehoram went out of Shomron at that time, and mustered all Yisra'el.

7 He went and sent to Yehoshafat the king of Yehudah, saying, The king of Mo'av has rebelled against me: will you go with me against Mo'av to battle? He said, I will go up: I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.

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

9 So the king of Yisra'el went, and the king of Yehudah, and the king of Edom; and they made a circuit of seven days' journey: and there was no water for the host, nor for the animals that followed them.

10 The king of Yisra'el said, Alas! for the LORD has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Mo'av.

11 But Yehoshafat said, Isn't there here a prophet of the LORD, that we may inquire of the LORD by him? One of the king of Yisra'el's servants answered, Elisha the son of Shafat is here, who poured water on the hands of Eliyah.

12 Yehoshafat said, The word of the LORD is with him. So the king of Yisra'el and Yehoshafat and the king of Edom went down to him.

13 Elisha said to the king of Yisra'el, What have I to do with you? get you to the prophets of your father, and to the prophets of your mother. The king of Yisra'el said to him, No; for the LORD has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Mo'av.

14 Elisha said, As the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Yehoshafat the king of Yehudah, I would not look toward you, nor see you.

15 But now bring me a minstrel. It happened, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came on him.

16 He said, Thus says the LORD, Make this valley full of trenches.

17 For thus says the LORD, You shall not see wind, neither shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, and you shall drink, both you and your cattle and your animals.

18 This is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will also deliver the Mo`avim into your hand.

19 You shall strike every fortified city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all springs of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.

20 It happened in the morning, about the time of offering the offering, that behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.

21 Now when all the Mo`avim heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, they gathered themselves together, all who were able to put on armor, and upward, and stood on the border.

22 They rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Mo`avim saw the water over against them as red as blood:

23 and they said, This is blood; the kings are surely destroyed, and they have struck each man his fellow: now therefore, Mo'av, to the spoil.

24 When they came to the camp of Yisra'el, the Yisra'elites rose up and struck the Mo`avim, so that they fled before them; and they went forward into the land smiting the Mo`avim.

25 They beat down the cities; and on every good piece of land they cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the springs of water, and felled all the good trees, until in Kir-Hareset [only] they left the stones of it; however the men armed with slings went about it, and struck it.

26 When the king of Mo'av saw that the battle was too severe for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew sword, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not.

27 Then he took his eldest son who would have reigned in his place, and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall. There was great wrath against Yisra'el: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.

2 Kings 3 Commentary

Chapter 3

Jehoram, king of Israel. (1-5) War with Moab, The intercession of Elisha. (6-19) Water supplied, Moab overcome. (20-27)

Verses 1-5 Jehoram took warning by God's judgment, and put away the image of Baal, yet he maintained the worship of the calves. Those do not truly repent or reform, who only part with the sins they lose by, but continue to love the sins that they think to gain by.

Verses 6-19 The king of Israel laments their distress, and the danger they were in. He called these kings together, yet he charges it upon Providence. Thus the foolishness of man perverteth his way, and then his heart fretteth against the Lord, ( Proverbs 19:3 ) . It was well that Jehoshaphat inquired of the Lord now, but it had been much better if he had done it before he engaged in this war. Good men sometimes neglect their duty, till necessity and affliction drive them to it. Wicked people often fare the better for the friendship and society of the godly. To try their faith and obedience, Elisha bids them make the valley full of pits to receive water. Those who expect God's blessings, must dig pools for the rain to fill, as in the valley of Baca, and thus make even that a well, ( Psalms 84:6 ) . We need not inquire whence the water came. God is not tied to second causes. They that sincerely seek for the dew of God's grace, shall have it, and by it be made more than conquerors.

Verses 20-27 It is a blessing to be favoured with the company of those who have power with God, and can prevail by their prayers. A kingdom may be upheld and prosper, in consequence of the fervent prayers of those who are dear to God. May we place our highest regard upon such as are most precious in his account. When sinners are saying Peace, peace, destruction comes upon them: despair will follow their mad presumption. In Satan's service and at his suggestion, such horrid deeds have been done, as cause the natural feelings of the heart to shudder; like the king of Moab's sacrificing his son. It is well not to urge the worst of men to extremities; we should rather leave them to the judgment of God.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 3

This chapter gives the character of Jehoram king of Israel, 2Ki 3:1-3, relates the rebellion of the king of Moab against him, 2Ki 3:4,5, the war that he and his allies entered into on that account, 2Ki 3:6-9 the distress the combined army were in for want of water, their application upon this to Elisha, who promised them water, and they had it in a wonderful manner, 2Ki 3:10-20 and the chapter is concluded with the rout of the Moabites, and the barbarity of their king to his eldest son, 2Ki 3:21-27.