20140607 Saturday, June 7 2014
2 Kings 03: Moab's Rebellion

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"There was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him"

Israel became an empire ("a nation that occupies and rules other nations in their own homelands") in the time of King David and King Solomon (see 2 Samuel 8: King David's Empire). The imperialism even continued, albeit fragmented, after the division of the united kingdom of Israel into "Israel" and "Judah" (see 1 Kings 14: The First Kings Of Israel and Judah). From time to time, the nations that were dominated by Israel or Judah attempted to fight for their political freedom - just as Israel and Judah had done for themselves. Such was the case of King Mesha of Moab who rebelled against King Jehoram of Israel (he is recorded as both "Joram" and "Jehoram"; see Joram Of Israel).

"3:1 Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. 3:2 And he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made. 3:3 Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.

3:4 And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool. 3:5 But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel." (2 Kings 3:1-5 KJV)

Jehoram apparently didn't think that he could defeat the rebels himself, so he sought a military alliance from Jehoshaphat, king of Judah (see Jehoshaphat Of Judah). It was another irony since Israel and Judah had declared independence from each other in the same way that Moab was now seeking its freedom from them. Israel and Judah had actually fought wars against each other for that and other reasons (see How Many Kings Reigned In The United Kingdom?).

"3:6 And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel.

3:7 And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle?

And he said, I will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses.

3:8 And he said, Which way shall we go up?

And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom." (2 Kings 3:6-8 KJV)

The LORD (Who was and is Jesus Christ - see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God) delivered the victory to Israel and Judah, not for the sake of mere imperialism (that Israel and Judah themselves would soon be subjected to, for centuries afterward - see the Fact Finder question below) but rather for the long-term purpose of prophetic "Israel" (see the Fact Finder question below).

"3:9 So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days' journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them.

3:10 And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!

3:11 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may enquire of the LORD by him?

And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah.

3:12 And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the LORD is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

3:13 And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother.

And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.

3:14 And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee. 3:15 But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.

3:16 And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches. 3:17 For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts. 3:18 And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand. 3:19 And ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.

3:20 And it came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was offered, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.

3:21 And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood in the border. 3:22 And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood: 3:23 And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.

3:24 And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward smiting the Moabites, even in their country. 3:25 And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees: only in Kirharaseth left they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it.

3:26 And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through even unto the king of Edom: but they could not. 3:27 Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land." (2 Kings 3:9-27 KJV)

Fact Finder: What were some of the empires that ruled Israel and Judah after Israel and Judah themselves ceased to be an empire?

See:
Israel In History and Prophecy: The Lost Ten Tribes
Israel In History and Prophecy: Back To Babylon
The Decrees Of The Persian Kings
A History Of Jerusalem: Greeks, Ptolemies, Seleucids
Israel In History and Prophecy: Hasmonean Judea
Israel In History and Prophecy: Roman Judea
Israel In History and Prophecy: Rome and Islam
Israel In History and Prophecy: Balfour Declaration