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Texts -- 2 Kings 3:1-27 (NET)

Context
Moab Fights with Israel
3:1 In the eighteenth year of King Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah , Ahab’s son Jehoram became king over Israel in Samaria ; he ruled for twelve years . 3:2 He did evil in the sight of the Lord , but not to the same degree as his father and mother . He did remove the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made . 3:3 Yet he persisted in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat , who encouraged Israel to sin ; he did not turn from them. 3:4 Now King Mesha of Moab was a sheep breeder . He would send as tribute to the king of Israel 100,000 male lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams . 3:5 When Ahab died , the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel . 3:6 At that time King Jehoram left Samaria and assembled all Israel for war. 3:7 He sent this message to King Jehoshaphat of Judah : “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you fight with me against Moab ?” Jehoshaphat replied , “I will join you in the campaign; my army and horses are at your disposal.” 3:8 He then asked , “Which invasion route are we going to take ?” Jehoram answered , “By the road through the Desert of Edom .” 3:9 So the kings of Israel , Judah , and Edom set out together. They wandered around on the road for seven days and finally ran out of water for the men and animals they had with them. 3:10 The king of Israel said , “Oh no! Certainly the Lord has summoned these three kings so that he can hand them over to the king of Moab !” 3:11 Jehoshaphat asked , “Is there no prophet of the Lord here that we might seek the Lord’s direction ?” One of the servants of the king of Israel answered , “Elisha son of Shapat is here ; he used to be Elijah’s servant.” 3:12 Jehoshaphat said , “The Lord speaks through him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to visit him. 3:13 Elisha said to the king of Israel , “Why are you here? Go to your father’s prophets or your mother’s prophets !” The king of Israel replied to him, “No , for the Lord is the one who summoned these three kings so that he can hand them over to Moab .” 3:14 Elisha said , “As certainly as the Lord who rules over all lives (whom I serve ), if I did not respect King Jehoshaphat of Judah , I would not pay attention to you or acknowledge you. 3:15 But now , get me a musician .” When the musician played , the Lord energized him, 3:16 and he said , “This is what the Lord says , ‘Make many cisterns in this valley ,’ 3:17 for this is what the Lord says , ‘You will not feel any wind or see any rain , but this valley will be full of water and you and your cattle and animals will drink .’ 3:18 This is an easy task for the Lord ; he will also hand Moab over to you. 3:19 You will defeat every fortified city and every important city . You must chop down every productive tree , stop up all the springs , and cover all the cultivated land with stones .” 3:20 Sure enough, the next morning , at the time of the morning sacrifice , water came flowing down from Edom and filled the land . 3:21 Now all Moab had heard that the kings were attacking , so everyone old enough to fight was mustered and placed at the border . 3:22 When they got up early the next morning , the sun was shining on the water . To the Moabites , who were some distance away, the water looked red like blood . 3:23 The Moabites said , “It’s blood ! The kings are totally destroyed ! They have struck one another down ! Now , Moab , seize the plunder !” 3:24 When they approached the Israelite camp , the Israelites rose up and struck down the Moabites , who then ran from them. The Israelites thoroughly defeated Moab . 3:25 They tore down the cities and each man threw a stone into every cultivated field until they were covered . They stopped up every spring and chopped down every productive tree . Only Kir Hareseth was left intact , but the slingers surrounded it and attacked it. 3:26 When the king of Moab realized he was losing the battle , he and 700 swordsmen tried to break through and attack the king of Edom , but they failed . 3:27 So he took his firstborn son , who was to succeed him as king , and offered him up as a burnt sacrifice on the wall . There was an outburst of divine anger against Israel , so they broke off the attack and returned to their homeland .

Pericope

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Bible Dictionary

  • Elisha

    [ebd] God his salvation, the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, who became the attendant and disciple of Elijah (1 Kings 19:16-19). His name first occurs in the command given to Elijah to anoint him as his successor (1 Kings 19:16). ...
    [isbe] ELISHA - e-li'-sha 'elisha`, "God is salvalion"; Septuagint Eleisaie; New Testament Elisaios, Eliseus, (Lk 4:27 the King James Version)): I. HIS CALL AND PREPARATION 1. His Call 2. His Preparation 3. The Parting Gift of Elij...
    [smith] (God his salvation), son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah; the attendant and disciple of Elijan, and subsequently his successor as prophet of the kingdom of Israel. The earliest mention of his name is in the command to Elijah in th...
    [nave] ELISHA, successor to the prophet Elijah. Elijah instructed to anoint, 1 Kin. 19:16. Called by Elijah, 1 Kin. 19:19. Ministers to Elijah, 1 Kin. 19:21. Witnesses Elijah's translation, receives a double portion of his spirit...

  • Jehoshaphat

    [ebd] Jehovah-judged. (1.) One of David's body-guard (1 Chr. 11:43). (2.) One of the priests who accompanied the removal of the ark to Jerusalem (1 Chr. 15:24). (3.) Son of Ahilud, "recorder" or annalist under David and Solomon (2...
    [smith] (whom Jehovah judges.) King of Judah, son of Asa, succeeded to the throne B.C. 914, when he was 35 years old, and reigned 25 years. His history is to be found among the events recorded in (1 Kings 15:24; 2 Kings 8:16) ...
    [nave] JEHOSHAPHAT 1. David's recorder, 2 Sam. 8:16; 20:24; 1 Kin. 4:3; 1 Chr. 18:15. 2. One of Solomon's commissariat officers, 1 Kin. 4:17. 3. King of Judah. Succeeds Asa, 1 Kin. 15:24; 22:41; 1 Chr. 3:10; 2 Chr. 17:1; Matt. 1:...

  • Mesha

    [ebd] middle district, Vulgate, Messa. (1.) A plain in that part of the boundaries of Arabia inhabited by the descendants of Joktan (Gen. 10:30). (2.) Heb. meysh'a, "deliverance," the eldest son of Caleb (1 Chr. 2:42), and brother...
    [isbe] MESHA - me'-sha: (1) (mesha`; Codex Vaticanus, Marisa; Codex Alexandrinus, Marisas): Caleb's firstborn son, the father of Ziph, probably the ancestor of the Ziphites (1 Ch 2:42). (2) (mesha'; Codex Vaticanus, Misa; Codex Ale...
    [smith] (freedom). The name of one of the geographical limits of the Joktanites when they first settled in Arabia. (Genesis 10:30) The king of Moab who was tributary to Ahab, (2 Kings 3:4) but when Ahab fell at Ramoth-gilead, Mes...
    [nave] MESHA 1. King of Moab. Tributary to Ahab, 2 Kin. 3:4, 5. 2. Son of Caleb, 1 Chr. 2:42. 3. A place in possession of the sons of Joktan, Gen. 10:30. 4. A Benjamite, 1 Chr. 8:9.

  • DEAD SEA, THE

    [isbe] DEAD SEA, THE - || I. PRESENT AREA II. FORMER ENLARGEMENT III. LEVEL OF THE DEAD SEA IN EARLY HISTORIC TIMES IV. CONSTITUTION OF THE WATER V. CLIMATE VI. ROADS VII. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS 1. The Plain of the Jordan 2. Ain Jidi ...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • Zoar

    [ebd] small, a town on the east or south-east of the Dead Sea, to which Lot and his daughters fled from Sodom (Gen. 19:22, 23). It was originally called Bela (14:2, 8). It is referred to by the prophets Isaiah (15:5) and Jeremiah ...

  • Colour

    [ebd] The subject of colours holds an important place in the Scriptures. White occurs as the translation of various Hebrew words. It is applied to milk (Gen. 49:12), manna (Ex. 16:31), snow (Isa. 1:18), horses (Zech. 1:8), raiment...

  • Armies

    [nave] ARMIES Who of the Israelites were subject to service in, Num. 1:2, 3; 26:2; 2 Chr. 25:5; who were exempt from service in, Num. 1:47-50; 2:33; Deut. 20:5-9; Judg. 7:3. Enumeration of Israel's military forces, Num. 1:2, 3; 26...

  • MOABITE STONE

    [ebd] a basalt stone, bearing an inscription by King Mesha, which was discovered at Dibon by Klein, a German missionary at Jerusalem, in 1868. It was 3 1/2 feet high and 2 in breadth and in thickness, rounded at the top. It consis...
    [isbe] MOABITE STONE - A monument erected at Dibon (Dhiban) by Mesha, king of Moab (2 Ki 3:4,5), to commemorate his successful revolt from Israel and his conquest of Israelite territory. It was discovered, August 19, 1868, by a Ger...

  • Moabites

    [nave] MOABITES Descendants of Lot through his son Moab, Gen. 19:37. Called the people of Chemosh, Num. 21:29. The territory E. of Jordan, bounded on the N. by the river Arnon, Num. 21:13; Judg. 11:18. Children of Israel command...

  • JEHORAM

    [ebd] Jehovah-exalted. (1.) Son of Toi, king of Hamath, sent by his father to congratulate David on the occasion of his victory over Hadadezer (2 Sam. 8:10). (2.) A Levite of the family of Gershom (1 Chr. 26:25). (3.) A priest sen...
    [smith] (whom Jehovah has exalted). Son of Ahab king of Israel, who succeeded his brother Ahaziah B.C. 896, and died B.C. 884. The alliance between the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, commenced by his father and Jehoshaphat, was very ...

  • Kir-haraseth

    [ebd] built fortress, a city and fortress of Moab, the modern Kerak, a small town on the brow of a steep hill about 6 miles from Rabbath-Moab and 10 miles from the Dead Sea; called also Kir-haresh, Kir-hareseth, Kir-heres (Isa. 16...
    [nave] KIR-HARASETH, called also Kirharesh, Kir-hareseth, and Kir-heres. A city of Moab, 2 Kin. 3:25; Isa. 16:7, 11; Jer. 48:31, 36. Called Kir of Moab, Isa. 15:1.

  • Water

    [isbe] WATER - wo'-ter (mayim; hudor): (1) The Greek philosophers believed water to be the original substance and that all things were made from it. The Koran states, "From water we have made all things." In the story of the creati...
    [nave] WATER Creation of, Psa. 148:4, 5. Covered the whole earth, Gen. 1:9. Daily allowance of, Ezek. 4:11. City waterworks, 2 Kin. 20:20. Vision of, by Ezekiel, Ezek. 47:1-5. Of separation, Num. 19:2-22. Libation of, 1 Sam. ...

  • CHEMOSH

    [ebd] the destroyer, subduer, or fish-god, the god of the Moabites (Num. 21:29; Jer. 48:7, 13, 46). The worship of this god, "the abomination of Moab," was introduced at Jerusalem by Solomon (1 Kings 11:7), but was abolished by Jo...
    [isbe] CHEMOSH - ke'-mosh (kemosh; Chamos): 1. Moabites, the People of Chemosh 2. Solomon and Chemosh Worship 3. Josiah Putting Down Chemosh Worship 4. Chemosh and Ammonites 5. Moabite Stone 6. Mesha's Inscription and the Old Testa...

  • JEHORAM; JORAM

    [isbe] JEHORAM; JORAM - je-ho'-ram, written also in the abbreviated form, (yehoram, yoram, "Yahweh is high"; the Revised Version (British and American) retains "Joram" for Hebrew yehoram in 2 Ki 9:15-24): (1) Ninth king of Israel (...

  • ISRAEL, KINGDOM OF

    [isbe] ISRAEL, KINGDOM OF - || I. THE FIRST PERIOD 1. The Two Kingdoms 2. The Ist Dynasty 3. The IInd Dynasty 4. Civil War II. PERIOD OF THE SYRIAN WARS 1. The IIIrd Dynasty 2. World-Politics 3. Battle of Karkar 4. Loss of Territor...
    [smith] I. the kingdom. --The prophet Ahijah of Shiloh, who was commissioned in the latter days of Solomon to announce the division of the kingdom, left one tribe (Judah) to the house of David, and assigned ten to Jeroboam. (1 Kin...

  • Jezebel

    [isbe] JEZEBEL - jez'-e-bel 'izebhel, "unexalted," "unhusbanded" (?); Iezabel; see BDB; 1 Ki 16:31; 18:4,13,19; 19:1,2; 21:5 ff; 2 Ki 9:7 ff,30 ff; Rev 2:20): Daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Zidonians, i.e. Phoenicians, and queen ...
    [nave] JEZEBEL Daughter of Ethbaal, a Sidonian, and wife of Ahab, 1 Kin. 16:31. Was an idolater and persecuted the prophets of God, 1 Kin. 18:4, 13, 19; 2 Kin. 3:2, 13; 9:7, 22. Vowed to kill Elijah, 1 Kin. 19:1-3. Wickedly acc...

  • Ahaziah

    [ebd] held by Jehovah. (1.) The son and successor of Ahab. He followed the counsels of his mother Jezebel, and imitated in wickedness the ways of his father. In his reign the Moabites revolted from under his authority (2 Kings 3:5...

  • Idolatry

    [nave] IDOLATRY. Wicked Practices of Human sacrifices, Lev. 18:21; 20:2-5; Deut. 12:31; 18:10; 2 Kin. 3:26, 27; 16:3; 17:17, 18; 21:6; 23:10; 2 Chr. 28:3; 33:6; Psa. 106:37, 38; Isa. 57:5; Jer. 7:31; 19:4-7; 32:35; Ezek. 16:20, 2...

  • Sheep

    [isbe] SHEEP - shep: 1. Names: The usual Hebrew word is tso'n, which is often translated "flock," e.g. "Abel .... brought of the firstlings of his flock" (Gen 4:4); "butter of the herd, and milk of the flock" (Dt 32:14). The King J...
    [smith] Sheep were an important part of the possessions of the ancient Hebrews and of eastern nations generally. The first mention of sheep occurs in (Genesis 4:2) They were used in the sacrificial offering,as, both the adult animal,...
    [nave] SHEEP Offered in sacrifice, by Abel, Gen. 4:4; by Noah, Gen. 8:20; by Abraham, Gen. 22:13. See: Offerings. Required in the Mosaic offerings, See: Offerings. The land of Bashan adapted to the raising of, Deut. 32:14; Bozra...
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Arts

Questions

  • I'm going to copy some articles on this subject, but let me give you my summation of all of them. In the Old Testament, the firstborn son was the one who normally received a double inheritance, and was the one who would inher...
  • They were the descendants of Lot and were neighbors of the Amorites on the opposite side of the River Arnon (Num. 21:13). They were governed by kings and possessed many great cities (Num. 21:28-30; Is. 15:1; Num. 23:7). They ...

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The context of this section is significant as usual. Verses 1-8 deal with people who ministered to Yahweh in various ways for the people, and verses 15-22 concern the delivery of God's revelations to His people. Verses 9-14 c...
  • 5:13-15 "Despite Joshua's long military experience he had never led an attack on a fortified city that was prepared for a long siege. In fact, of all the walled cities in Palestine, Jericho was probably the most invincible. T...
  • Verses 1-33 record Jephthah's success. The rest of his story (11:34-12:7) relates his failure. The writer likewise recorded Gideon's success first (6:1-8:23) and then his failure (8:24-9:57). We shall find a similar pattern w...
  • (Continued from notes on 1 Kings)3. Ahaziah's evil reign in Israel -1 Kings 22:51-2 Kings 1:184. Jehoram's evil reign in Israel 2:1-8:155. Jehoram's evil reign in Judah 8:16-246. Ahaziah's evil reign in Judah 8:25-9:29C. The ...
  • Second Kings begins with Ahaziah's reign that fell during the 33-year period of Israel and Judah's alliance (874-841 B.C.; -1 Kings 16:29-2 Kings 9:29). This period in turn fits within the larger context of the divided kingdo...
  • Even though Jehoram was better spiritually than Ahab (v. 2) he was still so much of an idolater that Elisha had no use for him (vv. 13-14).Mesha had rebelled against Israel earlier (v. 3), but he continued to do so. This upri...
  • Hazael was the governor of Damascus.50The Gentile King of Aram had more interest in inquiring of Yahweh than Jehoram's predecessor did (v. 8; cf. 1:2). It was customary in the Near East to make a great show of giving gifts. I...
  • Jehoash (Joash) had respect and affection for Elisha. He anticipated the loss that the death of God's spiritual warrior would be to Israel (v. 14). He recognized that Israel's real defense lay in Yahweh's angelic army and in ...
  • 35:18 Jeremiah then took a promise from the Lord back to the Rechabites. The Lord praised them for their tenacity in clinging to what they believed to be right, not because He approved their puritanical ideals.35:19 Someone f...
  • This oracle is similar to the one in Isaiah 15 and 16.555Other oracles against Moab appear in Ezekiel 25:8-11, Amos 2:1-3, and Zephaniah 2:9, but this is the longest one. It is very difficult to say when Jeremiah gave this or...
  • "The setting of the Mesopotamian dream-visions--which occurred in both the Assyrian period and the Babylonian period . . . --consisted of four elements: (1) the date, (2) the place of reception, (3) the recipient, and (4) the...
  • The date of Joel is its largest introductory problem. There are four most likely possibilities. First, some scholars advocate an early pre-exilic dateduring the reign of King Jehoshaphat (872-848 B.C.) or possibly his grandso...
  • The title of the book comes from its writer. The prophet's name means "burden-bearer"or "load-carrier."Amos was a sheepherder (Heb. noqed; cf. 2 Kings 3:4) or sheep breeder, and he described himself as a herdsman (Heb. boqer;...
  • Yahweh promised not to revoke His punishment of Moab, another nation descended from Lot (cf. Gen. 19:30-38), because of its brutal treatment of an Edomite king's corpse (cf. 2 Kings 3:26-27). Burning the bones of a dead perso...
  • 2:8 Probably Zephaniah linked Moab and Ammon because both nations descended from Lot (Gen. 19:30-38) as well as because both lay to Judah's east. Both nations had taunted and reviled the Israelites from their earliest history...
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