MELAKIM 2-3

1 And Yahoram son of Aḥaḇ began to reign over Yisra’ĕl at Shomeron in the eighteenth year of Yahoshaphat sovereign of Yahuḏah, and reigned twelve years.

2 And he did evil in the eyes of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, but not like his father and mother; for he removed the statue of Ba’al which his father had made.

3 But he clung to the sins of Yaroḇ’am son of Neḇat, who had made Yisra’ĕl sin. He did not turn away from them.

4 And Mĕysha sovereign of Mo’aḇ was a sheep-breeder, and he paid the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl one hundred thousand lambs and the wool of one hundred thousand rams.

5 And it came to be, when Aḥaḇ died, that the sovereign of Mo’aḇ revolted against the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl.

6 And Sovereign Yahoram went out of Shomeron at that time and mustered all Yisra’ĕl.

7 And he went and sent to Yahoshaphat sovereign of Yahuḏah, saying, “The sovereign of Mo’aḇ has revolted against me. Do you go with me to fight against Mo’aḇ?” And he said, “I go up. I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”

8 And he said, “Which way do we go up?” And he said, “By way of the Wilderness of Eḏom.”

9 And the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl went, and the sovereign of Yahuḏah and the sovereign of Eḏom, and went round a journey of seven days. And there was no water for the army, nor for the cattle that followed them.

10 And the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl said, “What? Has 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 called these three sovereigns to give them into the hand of Mo’aḇ?”

11 And Yahoshaphat said, “Is there no naḇi of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 here? Then let us inquire of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 through him.” One of the servants of the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl then answered and said, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here, who poured water out on the hands of Ĕliyahu.”

12 And Yahoshaphat said, “The word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 is with him.” And the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl and Yahoshaphat and the sovereign of Eḏom went down to him.

13 And Elisha said to the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl, “What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother.” And the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl said to him, “No, for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 has called these three sovereigns to give them into the hand of Mo’aḇ.”

14 And Elisha said, “As 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 of hosts lives, before whom I stand, if it were not that I regard the presence of Yahoshaphat sovereign of Yahuḏah, I would not look at you nor see you.

15 “And now, bring me a harpist.” And it came to be, when the harpist played, that the hand of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 came upon him.

16 And he said, “Thus said 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, ‘Make this wadi ditches – ditches.’

17 “For thus said 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, ‘You are not going to see wind, nor rain. Yet that wadi is to be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your beasts shall drink.’

18 “And this shall be but a light matter in the eyes of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄. And He shall give Mo’aḇ into your hand.

19 “And you shall smite every walled city and every choice city, and shall cut down every good tree, and stop up every fountain of water, and ruin every good piece of land with stones.”

20 And it came to be in the morning, when the grain offering was offered, that see, water came by way of Eḏom, and the land was filled with water.

21 And when all Mo’aḇ heard that the sovereigns had come up to fight against them, all who were able to bear arms and older were gathered, and they stood at the border.

22 And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun was shining on the water. And the Mo’aḇites saw the water on the other side as red as blood.

23 And they said, “This is blood. The sovereigns have indeed struck swords and have killed one another. And now, Mo’aḇ, to the spoil!”

24 And they came to the camp of Yisra’ĕl, and Yisra’ĕl rose up and smote the Mo’aḇites, so that they fled before them. And they entered their land, and smote the Mo’aḇites.

25 And they broke down the cities, and each man threw a stone on every good piece of land and filled it. And they stopped up all the fountains of water and cut down all the good trees, until the stones of Qir Ḥaraseth were left. And the slingers went round and smote it.

26 And when the sovereign of Mo’aḇ saw that the battle was too strong for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew swords, to break through to the sovereign of Eḏom, but they could not,

27 then took his eldest son who would have reigned in his place, and offered him as a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great wrath against Yisra’ĕl. And they left him and returned to the land.