Sorry for the blogus interruptus, I had a grueling day of travel on Sunday then an equally tiring couple of days in D.C. and traveling back, and I just wasn't up to it. I'll get back in the groove today.
Anyway, Ch. 3 is more of that old time religion, that I'm afraid is not good enough for me. Ahab's successor Jehoram removes a shrine to Baal but otherwise, in unspecified ways, he continues the sinful ways of the northern kingdom, referred to variously as Israel and Samaria. The Moabites owe him tribute, which they decide to stop paying, so Jehoram asks Jehosh′aphat, king of Judah, to ally with him in subduing the Moabites, and the jumping one agrees. ("Jumping Jehoshaphat" is a rustic exclamation of suprise in the U.S. Just a little linguistic aside.) But long the way they run out of water and they're in the desert so they have a problem Not very bright in the planning department.
Anyway, they go ask Elisha for a miracle. He says he wouldn't do it for Jehoram but he'll do it for Jehoshapat. He does need a little musical inspiration, which he gets, then he fills the valley with water. He also conveys instructions from God that after they slaughter the Moabites, they have to plug up all the wells, cover the fields with stones, and cut down all the trees. They win, they do all that, the king of Moab sees that he's screwed, so what does he do? He kills his own son, and makes him a burnt offering. To whom we don't know, but since it works, and the Israelites go home, we have to assume he killed his son and offered him to Yahweh. Yeah, that's what the Bible says. Human sacrifice works.
3 In the eighteenth year of Jehosh′aphat king of Judah, Jeho′ram the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samar′ia, and he reigned twelve years. 2 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, though not like his father and mother, for he put away the pillar of Ba′al which his father had made. 3 Nevertheless he clung to the sin of Jerobo′am the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin; he did not depart from it.
War with Moab
4 Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder; and he had to deliver annually[a] to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs, and the wool of a hundred thousand rams. 5 But when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 6 So King Jeho′ram marched out of Samar′ia at that time and mustered all Israel. 7 And he went and sent word to Jehosh′aphat king of Judah, “The king of Moab has rebelled against me; will you go with me to battle against Moab?” And he said, “I will go; I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” 8 Then he said, “By which way shall we march?” Jeho′ram answered, “By the way of the wilderness of Edom.”
9 So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. And when they had made a circuitous march of seven days, there was no water for the army or for the beasts which followed them. 10 Then the king of Israel said, “Alas! The Lord has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.” 11 And Jehosh′aphat said, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here, through whom we may inquire of the Lord?” Then one of the king of Israel’s servants answered, “Eli′sha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Eli′jah.” 12 And Jehosh′aphat said, “The word of the Lord is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehosh′aphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
13 And Eli′sha said to the king of Israel, “What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother.” But the king of Israel said to him, “No; it is the Lord who has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.” 14 And Eli′sha said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, whom I serve, were it not that I have regard for Jehosh′aphat the king of Judah, I would neither look at you, nor see you. 15 But now bring me a minstrel.” And when the minstrel played, the power of the Lord came upon him. 16 And he said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘I will make this dry stream-bed full of pools.’ 17 For thus says the Lord, ‘You shall not see wind or rain, but that stream-bed shall be filled with water, so that you shall drink, you, your cattle, and your beasts.’ 18 This is a light thing in the sight of the Lord; he will also give the Moabites into your hand, 19 and you shall conquer every fortified city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop up all springs of water, and ruin every good piece of land with stones.” 20 The next morning, about the time of offering the sacrifice, behold, water came from the direction of Edom, till the country was filled with water.
21 When all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, all who were able to put on armor, from the youngest to the oldest, were called out, and were drawn up at the frontier. 22 And when they rose early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood. 23 And they said, “This is blood; the kings have surely fought together, and slain one another. Now then, Moab, to the spoil!” 24 But when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose and attacked the Moabites, till they fled before them; and they went forward, slaughtering the Moabites as they went.[b] 25 And they overthrew the cities, and on every good piece of land every man threw a stone, until it was covered; they stopped every spring of water, and felled all the good trees; till only its stones were left in Kir-har′eseth, and the slingers surrounded and conquered it. 26 When the king of Moab saw that the battle was going against him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through, opposite the king of Edom; but they could not. 27 Then he took his eldest son who was to reign in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there came great wrath upon Israel; and they withdrew from him and returned to their own land.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 3:4 Tg: Heb lacks annually
- 2 Kings 3:24 Gk: Heb uncertain
1 comment:
I have to admit that the stories have become so tiresome and gruesome that I really appreciate your CliffsNotes ... a lot more entertaining and concise than the original :-)
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