The Israelites and the Moabites shared a complex history, and yet a period of peace prevailed during Ahab’s reign. Mesha, the king of Moab, was granted permission to raise sheep for the kingdom in exchange for a tribute of a hundred thousand lambs and a hundred thousand rams’ wool. However, following Ahab’s death, Mesha, tired of the burden of the tribute, rebelled against Ahab’s son, Joram, the new king of Israel, exacerbating the animosity between the two nations.
Joram did evil in the eyes of the LORD, although not to the extent of his father and mother. To his credit, he got rid of the sacred stone of baal that his father had erected. Nevertheless, he still walked in the ways of Jeroboam, the corrupt king of the northern kingdom and caused the entire nation to sin along with him. The idea of consulting the LORD never occurred to him when he was planning the retaliation for Moab’s rebellion.
So at that time King Joram set out from Samaria and mobilized all Israel. He also sent this message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?”“I will go with you,” he replied. “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”
2 Kings 3:6-7 (NIV)
Joram sought to forge an alliance with Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, as part of his strategy to launch a military campaign against Moab from the southern border. The familial connection between the two rulers, coupled with Joram’s father’s history of collaboration with Judah, underpinned the rationale behind this diplomatic endeavour. Despite previous encounters with Ahab, Jehoshaphat still failed to heed the lesson of avoiding involvement with Ahab’s family.
It is possible that Jehoshaphat perceived Joram to be different from his father based on his actions, such as shelving the secret stone of baal. Perhaps he sought to collaborate with Joram for his own benefit, hoping that peace between their lands would lead to economic prosperity. However, it appears that he disregarded the warnings of the prophet of God to distance himself from the corrupt family of Ahab. Even though God calls for separation from certain individuals, we often choose to remain connected to them.
So the king of Israel set out with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. After a roundabout march of seven days, the army had no more water for themselves or for the animals with them. “What!” exclaimed the king of Israel. “Has the LORD called us three kings together only to deliver us into the hands of Moab?”
2 Kings 3:9-10 (NIV)
The Scapegoat
God did not instruct the three kings to attack Moab. However, when they faced a water shortage, they attributed their problems to God. Instead of taking responsibility for their mismanagement, they sought a scapegoat. Their initial confidence in their own plans has now turned into fear, as they believe God is working against them and will deliver them into the hands of Moab. In their desperation, they chose to blame God for their predicament. Similarly, we often fail to seek guidance from God, even during the pivotal moments of our lives. However, when adversity strikes, it is common for us to hastily attribute our woes to Him without understanding His will for our lives.
But Jehoshaphat wanted to seek the LORD’s guidance, so they sent for Elisha. Elisha told the kings to seek guidance from the prophets of their own land, but the king of Israel insisted the prophet intervene as he feared that his LORD was actively plotting against them. Elisha agreed to help them only because of Jehoshaphat, and then he asked for a harpist to come to him.
Perhaps the use of a harpist was intended to bring the presence of God closer. Drawing a parallel to David playing the lyre to ease Saul’s demonic possession, it’s possible that Elisha sought a similar effect: to foster tranquillity amidst the clamour of the armies, allowing him to prepare himself. Just as praise and worship primes our hearts to receive God’s message, Elisha may have aimed to create an environment conducive to connecting with His Creator.
While the harpist was playing, the hand of the LORD came on Elisha and he said, “This is what the LORD says: I will fill this valley with pools of water. For this is what the LORD says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. This is an easy thing in the eyes of the LORD; he will also deliver Moab into your hands. You will overthrow every fortified city and every major town. You will cut down every good tree, stop up all the springs, and ruin every good field with stones.”
2 Kings 3:15-19 (NIV)
The Bloodbath in the Valley
The next morning, just before the scheduled time for the sacrifice, an extraordinary scene unfolded: water began to flow from the direction of Edom, flooding the land. News spread that the kings had gathered for battle, prompting all capable Moabite men, both young and old, to assemble at the border. Early risers witnessed the sun’s rays casting a red hue on the water, resembling blood to the Moabites across the way. “It’s blood!” they cried out, believing that the allied forces had clashed and annihilated each other. They hurried to the valley in pursuit of the spoils.
Having lowered their defences, the Moabites advanced to the camp of Israel. The Israelites, who had been revitalized both physically and spiritually by the abundant water surrounding them, gathered and confronted the Moabites in battle until they were forced to retreat. Subsequently, the Israelites launched a raid into the land, resulting in the devastation of the Moabite population. They razed the towns, with each man casting a stone onto every fertile field until it was completely covered. All the springs were sealed, and every productive tree was felled.
When the king of Moab saw that the battle had gone against him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom, but they failed. Then he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him as king, and offered him as a sacrifice on the city wall. The fury against Israel was great; they withdrew and returned to their own land.
2 Kings 3:26-27 (NIV)
The king of Moab found himself in distress as his army faced defeat. In a desperate attempt to change the tides of war, he led seven hundred swordsmen into battle, but to no avail. Witnessing his army falter, he resorted to a drastic measure, sacrificing his own firstborn son in a bid to invoke the anger of his gods against Israel.
The outcome was confounding, as the fury against Israel was so intense that they retreated to their own land. It was not the sacrifice of the king of Moab’s firstborn that led to the defeat of the Israelites, but it did unsettle them. Just that morning, they had experienced God’s remarkable intervention as He instilled fear in the hearts of the Moabite soldiers. Yet now, they fled in fear after witnessing a heathen sacrificial ritual, forgetting that God transcends all human machinations.
Similarly, when confronted with an overwhelming obstacle, we frequently overlook the marvellous deeds that God has performed in our lives. Let us not be rattled by the machinations of the rulers of this world and consistently cling to God’s guidance, when we find ourselves in similar valleys of our lives.
Discussion Questions
- Hasn’t Jehoshaphat learned his lesson to stay away from the members of Ahab’s family?
- God never asked the trio of kings to attack Moab but when they ran out of water why did they make Him the cause of their problems?
- Why was a harpist needed to discern God’s will?
- Did sacrificing his firstborn bring victory for the king of Moab?
The Jordan Valley 
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