וִיהוֹרָם בֶּן־אַחְאָב מָלַךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשֹׁמְרוֹן בִּשְׁנַת שְׁמֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה לִיהוֹשָׁפָט מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה וַיִּמְלֹךְ שְׁתֵּים־עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה

Yehoram son of Ahav became king over Israel in Samaria during the eighteenth year of Yehoshafat king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years.

וַיַּעֲשֶׂה הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי ה' רַק לֹא כְאָבִיו וּכְאִמּוֹ וַיָּסַר אֶת־מַצְּבַת הַבַּעַל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אָבִיו

He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, only not like his father and like his mother, as he did not engage in idolatry. He removed the monument of the Baal that his father had made.

רַק בְּחַטֹּאות יָרָבְעָם בֶּן־נְבָט אֲשֶׁר־הֶחֱטִיא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל דָּבֵק לֹא־סָר מִמֶּנָּה

However, he clung to the sins of Yorovam son of Nevat, who caused Israel to sin; he did not turn away from them; he retained the centers of worship in Dan and Beit El like the rest of the kings of Israel.

וּמֵישַׁע מֶלֶךְ־מוֹאָב הָיָה נֹקֵד וְהֵשִׁיב לְמֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאָה־אֶלֶף כָּרִים וּמֵאָה אֶלֶף אֵילִים צָמֶר

Mesha king of Moav was a sheep herder, that is, he based his economy on sheep, as his territory was mostly pastureland. Although Moav was an independent state headed by a king, it was subject to Israel’s rule. And therefore he would remit to the king of Israel a fixed tax; the wool of one hundred thousand lambs and of one hundred thousand rams.

וַיְהִי כְּמוֹת אַחְאָב וַיִּפְשַׁע מֶלֶךְ־מוֹאָב בְּמֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל

The Moavites did not dare to revolt against Ahav, perhaps because he was considered a great king and warrior. It was with the death of Ahav that the king of Moav rebelled against the king of Israel, and declared their full independence. This development was already mentioned in its chronologically correct place (1:1), and led to the events described here.

וַיֵּצֵא הַמֶּלֶךְ יְהוֹרָם בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא מִשֹּׁמְרוֹן וַיִּפְקֹד אֶת־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל

Therefore, King Yehoram came out of Samaria on that day, and mobilized all Israel. He took a census [mifkad] of all his troops.

וַיֵּלֶךְ וַיִּשְׁלַח אֶל־יְהוֹשָׁפָט מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה לֵאמֹר מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב פָּשַׁע בִּי הֲתֵלֵךְ אִתִּי אֶל־מוֹאָב לַמִּלְחָמָה וַיֹּאמֶר אֶעֱלֶה כָּמֹנִי כָמוֹךָ כְּעַמִּי כְעַמֶּךָ כְּסוּסַי כְּסוּסֶיךָ

He went and sent a message to Yehoshafat king of Judah, saying: The king of Moav has rebelled against me; will you go with me to war against Moav? The two kingdoms were at peace with each other, and their kings had even established family ties (8:18). Here they had a clear common interest. Despite the split into separate kingdoms, they knew that ultimately they were a single nation, and they each wanted the other kingdom to survive. He, Yehoshafat, said: I will go up with you to war; I am like you, my people are like your people, my horses are like your horses. We will participate equally in this war. This was the same response that Yehoshafat had earlier given to Ahav.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵי־זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ נַעֲלֶה וַיֹּאמֶר דֶּרֶךְ מִדְבַּר אֱדוֹם

He, the king of Israel, said: Which way should we go up? He, Yehoshafat, said: The way of the wilderness of Edom. Edom was subjugated to Judah, and therefore Yehoshafat felt that he could rely on their forces. Perhaps he preferred to travel southward to the wilderness of Edom and from there ascend to the north, rather than crossing the Jordan, as the passage across the Jordan was a difficult route.

וַיֵּלֶךְ מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה וּמֶלֶךְ אֱדוֹם וַיָּסֹבּוּ דֶּרֶךְ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים וְלֹא־הָיָה מַיִם לַמַּחֲנֶה וְלַבְּהֵמָה אֲשֶׁר בְּרַגְלֵיהֶם

The king of Israel and the king of Judah and the king of Edom, who had joined them, set out. Perhaps the king of Edom participated in the war not only because he was subjugated to the king of Judah, but also due to his own interests, as a neighbor of Moav. He might have felt that any weakening of Moav would strengthen his position. And they went around on a route of seven days in the wilderness of Edom; there was no water for the large camp and for the animals that were with them.

וַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲהָהּ כִּי־קָרָא ה' לִשְׁלֹשֶׁת הַמְּלָכִים הָאֵלֶּה לָתֵת אוֹתָם בְּיַד־מוֹאָב

The king of Israel said: Alas, as the Lord has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moav. God has a terrible fate in store for the three of us, as we will be routed by the Moavites in our weak state, due to the lack of water.

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹשָׁפָט הַאֵין פֹּה נָבִיא לַה' וְנִדְרְשָׁה אֶת־ה' מֵאוֹתוֹ וַיַּעַן אֶחָד מֵעַבְדֵי מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר פֹּה אֱלִישָׁע בֶּן־שָׁפָט אֲשֶׁר־יָצַק מַיִם עַל־יְדֵי אֵלִיָּהוּ

Yehoshafat said: Is there no prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of the Lord through him? Yehoshafat, who was a righteous king overall, knew that when faced with a decision or a difficulty for which the military heads had no resolution, it was proper to inquire of God by means of a prophet. One of the servants of the king of Israel replied and said: Elisha son of Shafat is here with us in the camp; he is the one who poured water over the hands of Elijah. He served as Elijah’s attendant. Elisha was not a soldier and was not drafted to the military. Perhaps he joined the camp because he was a prophet.

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹשָׁפָט יֵשׁ אוֹתוֹ דְּבַר־ה' וַיֵּרְדוּ אֵלָיו מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל וִיהוֹשָׁפָט וּמֶלֶךְ אֱדוֹם

Yehoshafat said: If so, the word of the Lord is certainly with him. The king of Israel and Yehoshafat and the king of Edom went down to him.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלִישָׁע אֶל־מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל מַה־לִּי וָלָךְ לֵךְ אֶל־נְבִיאֵי אָבִיךָ וְאֶל־נְבִיאֵי אִמֶּךָ וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אַל כִּי־קָרָא ה' לִשְׁלֹשֶׁת הַמְּלָכִים הָאֵלֶּה לָתֵת אוֹתָם בְּיַד מוֹאָב

Elisha said to the king of Israel, scornfully: What is there between me and you? What is the connection between us? Why do you come to me? Go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother, of Baal and Ashtarot, to hear about your future from them. The king of Israel said to him: Don’t speak in this manner, for it appears that the Lord has summoned these three kings, the three of us, to deliver them into the hand of Moav. We are in dire straits, and it is unbecoming to dismiss me with derision under these circumstances.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלִישָׁע חַי־ה' צְבָאוֹת אֲשֶׁר עָמַדְתִּי לְפָנָיו כִּי לוּלֵי פְּנֵי־יְהוֹשָׁפָט מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה אֲנִי נֹשֵׂא אִם־אַבִּיט אֵלֶיךָ וְאִם־אֶרְאֶךָּ

Elisha said: As the Lord of hosts, before whom I stand in service, and to whom I am loyal, lives, were it not that I honor the presence of Yehoshafat king of Judah, I would not even look at you, and I would not see you, nor would I speak with you.

וְעַתָּה קְחוּ לִי מְנַגֵּן וְהָיָה כְּנַגֵּן הַמְנַגֵּן וַתְּהִי עָלָיו יַד ה'

Now, bring me a musician. After expressing his deep-rooted, enduring anger against the house of Ahav, it was necessary for Elisha to hear some music in order to calm down, as prophecy will not come to someone who is not composed and ready to receive it. It was as the musician played, and the hand of the Lord was upon him, Elisha.

וַיֹּאמֶר כֹּה אָמַר ה' עָשֹׂה הַנַּחַל הַזֶּה גֵּבִים גֵּבִים

He, Elisha, said: So said the Lord: I will make this ravine full of pools. The ravine will be filled with water.

כִּי־כֹה אָמַר ה' לֹא־תִרְאוּ רוּחַ וְלֹא־תִרְאוּ גֶשֶׁם וְהַנַּחַל הַהוּא יִמָּלֵא מָיִם וּשְׁתִיתֶם אַתֶּם וּמִקְנֵיכֶם וּבְהֶמְתְּכֶם

For so said the Lord: You will not see wind, and you will not see rain, but yet this ravine here will be filled with water and you, your livestock that you brought with you for consumption, and your riding and pack animals will drink.

וְנָקַל זֹאת בְּעֵינֵי ה' וְנָתַן אֶת־מוֹאָב בְּיֶדְכֶם

This is trivial in the eyes of the Lord; He will do more than that, as He will also deliver Moav into your hand.

וְהִכִּיתֶם כָּל־עִיר מִבְצָר וְכָל־עִיר מִבְחוֹר וְכָל־עֵץ טוֹב תַּפִּילוּ וְכָל־מַעְיְנֵי־מַיִם תִּסְתֹּמוּ וְכֹל הַחֶלְקָה הַטּוֹבָה תַּכְאִבוּ בָּאֲבָנִים

In addition to the victory over Moav, you must set out on a campaign of severe retribution: You shall smite every fortified city, and every choice city, and you will fell every good tree, stop all springs of water, and every good field of land you shall ruin by filling it with stones so that it cannot be tilled.

וַיְהִי בַבֹּקֶר כַּעֲלוֹת הַמִּנְחָה וְהִנֵּה־מַיִם בָּאִים מִדֶּרֶךְ אֱדוֹם וַתִּמָּלֵא הָאָרֶץ אֶת־הַמָּיִם

It was in the morning, when the meal offering is offered up, and behold, water came cascading through the valley from the way of Edom, and the land was filled with water. There was enough water for the entire army to drink, and the kings were soon ready for war.

וְכָל־מוֹאָב שָׁמְעוּ כִּי־עָלוּ הַמְּלָכִים לְהִלָּחֶם בָּם וַיִּצָּעֲקוּ מִכֹּל חֹגֵר חֲגֹרָה וָמַעְלָה וַיַּעַמְדוּ עַל־הַגְּבוּל

All of Moav heard that the kings had gone up to make war against them; they mobilized, from everyone who girds a belt and can hold a sword and upward, and they stood on the border.

וַיַּשְׁכִּימוּ בַבֹּקֶר וְהַשֶּׁמֶשׁ זָרְחָה עַל־הַמָּיִם וַיִּרְאוּ מוֹאָב מִנֶּגֶד אֶת־הַמַּיִם אֲדֻמִּים כַּדָּם

They arose early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water. The Moavites saw the water opposite them, and it reflected the rising sun and appeared as red as blood.

וַיֹּאמְרוּ דָּם זֶה הָחֳרֵב נֶחֶרְבוּ הַמְּלָכִים וַיַּכּוּ אִישׁ אֶת־רֵעֵהוּ וְעַתָּה לַשָּׁלָל מוֹאָב

They said: This is blood, not a stream of water; the three kings and their armies drew swords and each smote his counterpart. Seeing what they thought was blood, Moav assumed that their enemies had slaughtered each other, so they said: Now, advance to seize the spoils, Moav!

וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל־מַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיָּקֻמוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּכּוּ אֶת־מוֹאָב וַיָּנֻסוּ מִפְּנֵיהֶם וַיַּכּוּ־בָהּ וְהַכּוֹת אֶת־מוֹאָב

They came to the camp of Israel, and Israel rose and smote Moav, as the Israelite army was larger and stronger, and they, the Moavites, fled from before them. They smote it, the land of Moav, continuously smiting the people of Moav.

וְהֶעָרִים יַהֲרֹסוּ וְכָל־חֶלְקָה טוֹבָה יַשְׁלִיכוּ אִישׁ־אַבְנוֹ וּמִלְאוּהָ וְכָל־מַעְיַן־מַיִם יִסְתֹּמוּ וְכָל־עֵץ־טוֹב יַפִּילוּ עַד־הִשְׁאִיר אֲבָנֶיהָ בַּקִּיר חֲרָשֶׂת וַיָּסֹבּוּ הַקַּלָּעִים וַיַּכּוּהָ

They destroyed the cities and on every good tract, each man would cast his stone, and they filled it, the tract of land, with stones; they stopped every spring of water and they felled every good tree, until there was left only the stones of the wall of Hareshet, the capital city of Moav. The three kings’ slingers of stones went around it, the wall, and struck it.

וַיַּרְא מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב כִּי־חָזַק מִמֶּנּוּ הַמִּלְחָמָה וַיִּקַּח אוֹתוֹ שְׁבַע־מֵאוֹת אִישׁ שֹׁלֵף חֶרֶב לְהַבְקִיעַ אֶל־מֶלֶךְ אֱדוֹם וְלֹא יָכֹלוּ

The king of Moav saw that the fighting would overcome him; he took with him seven hundred men, drawers of the sword, to make a breach of the enemy camp in order to reach the king of Edom; but they could not fulfill this mission, as the Edomites defended themselves well.

וַיִּקַּח אֶת־בְּנוֹ הַבְּכוֹר אֲשֶׁר־יִמְלֹךְ תַּחְתָּיו וַיַּעֲלֵהוּ עֹלָה עַל־הַחֹמָה וַיְהִי קֶצֶף גָּדוֹל עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּסְעוּ מֵעָלָיו וַיָּשֻׁבוּ לָאָרֶץ

He, the king of Moav, took his firstborn son, who was to reign in his place, and he offered him up as a burnt offering on the wall. The king of Moav demonstrated his devotion to his god by sacrificing that which was dearest to him, his own son and heir, as a burnt offering upon the city wall. Even among the Canaanites, human sacrifice was uncommon. The infamous rite of Molekh mainly consisted of symbolic actions; although children were passed alive through fire, they were not actually burnt. Therefore, there was great wrath and denunciation from God against the less dedicated Israel. The divine attribute of judgment was aroused against Israel: How could it be that this Moavite king is prepared to sacrifice his own son, whereas you are not fully devoted to My will? Of course, God does not seek human sacrifice, but He does want His worshippers to be entirely committed to His service. Apparently, as a result of the extreme action of the king of Moav, the soldiers came to the conclusion that the war was no longer worthwhile, and consequently they retreated from him, they left the king of Moav alone, and each of the kings returned to the land from which he had come.