Moab’s Rebellion
In the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah, Jehoram 1son of Ahab became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria twelve years. 2Ki 1:171Ki 22:512Ki 8:16 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. 2Ki 10:181Ki 21:252Ki 10:26-28Exo 23:241Ki 16:191Ki 16:31-331Ki 21:201Ki 21:5-15
Nevertheless, he clung to the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them. 1Ki 14:161Ki 12:26-331Ki 13:331Ki 14:91Ki 15:261Ki 15:341Ki 16:312Ki 13:11
Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, 2 and he would render to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams. 2Sa 8:2Gen 26:13-141Ch 18:22Ch 26:10Gen 13:2Isa 16:1-2Job 1:3Job 42:12 But after the death of Ahab, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 2Ki 1:12Ch 21:8-102Ki 8:20 So at that time King Jehoram set out from Samaria and mobilized all Israel. 1Ki 20:271Sa 11:81Sa 15:42Sa 24:1-25 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?” 1Ki 22:42Ch 18:32Ch 22:10-121Ki 22:32-332Ch 18:29-322Ch 19:22Ch 21:4-72Ch 22:3-4
“I will go,” replied Jehoshaphat. “I am like you, my people are your people, and my horses are your horses.” Then he asked, “Which way shall we go up?” Mal 1:2-3Num 21:4
“By way of the Desert of Edom,” replied Joram.
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. 1Ki 22:471Ki 22:27Exo 11:8Exo 15:22Exo 17:1Jdg 4:10Num 20:2Num 20:4
“Alas,” said the king of Israel, “for the LORD has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab!” 2Ki 6:33Gen 4:13Isa 51:20Isa 8:21Pro 19:3Psa 78:34-36
But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the LORD here? Let us inquire of the LORD through him.” 1Ki 22:71Ki 19:212Ki 3:31Ch 14:101Ch 14:141Ch 15:132Ki 2:25Amo 3:7
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. 3”
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. 1Sa 3:19-212Ki 2:14-152Ki 2:212Ki 2:24-252Ki 5:152Ki 5:8-9Isa 49:23Isa 60:14
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!” 1Ki 18:191Ki 22:61Ki 22:10-111Ki 22:22-252Ki 3:10Deu 32:37-392Co 5:162Co 6:15
“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.”
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. 2Ki 5:161Ki 17:11Ki 14:5-181Ki 18:151Ki 21:201Sa 15:26-312Ch 17:3-92Ch 19:3-4 But now, bring me a harpist. 4” 1Sa 16:23Eph 5:18-191Sa 10:5Ezk 1:31Ki 18:46Ezk 8:11Ch 25:1-31Sa 18:10
And while the harpist played, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha and he said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Dig this valley full of ditches.’ 2Ki 4:3Num 2:16-18 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.’ Psa 107:35Isa 41:17-18Isa 43:19-20Isa 48:21Psa 84:6Exo 17:6Num 20:8-111Ki 18:36-39 This is a simple matter in the sight of the LORD, and He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand. Jer 32:27Luk 1:37Jer 32:172Ki 20:10Eph 3:20Isa 49:6Mrk 10:27Ezk 8:17 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.” 1Sa 15:31Sa 23:22Ki 13:172Ki 3:25Deu 20:19-20Jdg 6:16Num 24:17
The next morning, at the time of the morning sacrifice, water suddenly flowed from the direction of Edom and filled the land. Exo 29:39-401Ki 18:36Dan 9:21Isa 35:6-7Psa 78:15-16Psa 78:20
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. 1Ki 20:11Eph 6:14 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.
“This is blood!” they exclaimed. “The kings have clashed swords and slaughtered one another. Now to the plunder, Moab!” 2Ch 20:252Ki 6:18-202Ki 7:6Exo 15:9Isa 10:14Jdg 5:30
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. 1Th 5:3-4Jdg 20:40-46Jos 8:20-22 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. 2Ki 3:19Isa 16:7Jer 48:31Jer 48:36Isa 16:112Ch 32:42Sa 8:2Deu 2:9
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. 2Ki 3:9Amo 2:1 So he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him, and offered him as a burnt offering on the city wall. Mic 6:7Deu 12:31Jdg 11:31Amo 2:1Ezk 16:20Psa 106:37-381Sa 14:36-46Gen 22:13
And there was great fury against the Israelites, 5 so they withdrew and returned to their own land.