2 Kings 3:1-11

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.

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 .

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

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.

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

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

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

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!

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.

2 Kings 3:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Footnotes

• [a]. image: Heb. statue