Melachim Bais 3

1. Now Yehoram ben Ach’av began to reign over Yisroel in Shomron the eighteenth year of Yehoshaphat Melech Yehudah, and reigned twelve shanah.

2. And he wrought rah in the eyes of Hashem; but not like Aviv, nor like Immo; for he put away matzvat HaBa’al (the image of Baal) that Aviv had made.

3. Nevertheless his deveykus was unto the chattot Yarov‘am Ben Nevat, which caused Yisroel to sin; therefrom he did not turn away.

4. And Mesha Melech Moav was a sheep breeder, and rendered unto the Melech Yisroel 100,000 lambs, and 100,000 rams, with the tzemer (wool).

5. But it came to pass, when Ach’av was mot, that Melech Moav rebelled against Melech Yisroel.

6. And Melech Yehoram went out of Shomron on that day, and mustered kol Yisroel.

7. And he went and sent to Yehoshaphat Melech Yehudah, saying, Melech Moav hath rebelled against me; wilt thou go with me against Moav for milchamah? And he said, I will go up: I am as thou art, my Am as thy Am, and my susim as thy susim.

8. And he said, Which derech shall we go up [to attack]? And he answered, The derech through the Midbar Edom.

9. So Melech Yisroel, Melech Yehudah, Melech Edom went, made a circuit of shivat yamim in their derech; and there was no mayim for the machaneh, and for the behemah that followed them.

10. And Melech Yisroel said, Alas that Hashem hath called these three melachim together, to deliver them into the yad Moav!

11. But Yehoshaphat said, Is there not here a navi of Hashem, that we may inquire of Hashem through him? And one of the avadim of Melech Yisroel answered and said, Here is Elishah Ben Shaphat, which poured mayim on the hands of Eliyahu.

12. And Yehoshaphat said, The Devar Hashem is with him. So Melech Yisroel and Yehoshaphat and Melech Edom went down to him.

13. And Elishah said unto Melech Yisroel, What have I to do with thee? Get thee to the [Ba’al] nevi’im of Avicha, and to the nevi’im of Immecha. And Melech Yisroel said unto him, No; for Hashem hath called these three melachim, to deliver them into the yad Moav.

14. And Elishah said, As Hashem Tzva’os liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Yehoshaphat Melech Yehudah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.

15. But now bring me menagen. And it came to pass, when the menagen played, that the Yad Hashem came upon him.

16. And he said, Thus saith Hashem, Make this valley full of ditches.

17. For thus saith Hashem, Ye shall not see ruach, neither shall ye see geshem; yet this valley shall be filled with mayim, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your behemah (livestock).

18. And this is but a light thing in the eyes of Hashem; He will deliver Mo’av also into your yad.

19. And ye shall strike every fortified city, every ir mivchor, and shall fell every etz tov, stop up kol ma’yan mayim, mar every good allotment of land with avanim.

20. And it came to pass in the boker, when the minchah was offered, that, hinei, there came mayim by the derech of Edom, and HaAretz was filled with mayim.

21. And when kol Mo’av heard that the melachim were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that could bear arms, and older, and stood at the border.

22. And they rose up early in the boker, and the shemesh shone upon the mayim, and Mo’av saw the mayim on the other side, and to them it looked as red as dahm;

23. And they said, This is dahm; the melachim are surely slain, and they have struck one another; now therefore, Moav, to the plunder!

24. And when they came to the machaneh Yisroel, Yisroel rose up and struck Mo’av, so that they fled before them; but they went forward striking Mo’av, even invading their country.

25. And they beat down the towns, and on every good allotment of land every ish cast his even (stone), and filled it; and they stopped up kol ma’yan mayim, and felled kol etz tov; only in Kir Charaset left they the avanim thereof; howbeit the slingers surrounded it, and struck it.

26. And when Melech Moav saw that the milchamah was chazak against him, he took with him 700 ish that drew cherev, to break through even unto Melech Edom; but they could not.

27. Then he took bno habechor that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for an olah upon the chomah. And there was ketzef gadol (great fury) against Yisroel; and they withdrew, and returned to their own land.