2 Kings 3 (Melachim Bet) in Hebrew and English

3:1Now Yehoram (Jehoram) the son of Achav (Ahab) began to reign over Israel in Shomron (Samaria) the eighteenth year of Yehoshafat (Jehoshaphat) king of Yehudah (Judah), and reigned twelve years.

אוִיהוֹרָ֣ם בֶּן־אַחְאָ֗ב מָלַ֤ךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּשֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן בִּשְׁנַת֙ שְׁמֹנֶ֣ה עֶשְׂרֵ֔ה לִיהוֹשָׁפָ֖ט מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה וַיִּמְלֹ֖ךְ שְׁתֵּים־עֶשְׂרֵ֥ה שָׁנָֽה׃

3:2And he wrought evil in the sight of Hashem; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Ba’al (Baal) that his father had made.

בוַיַּעֲשֶׂ֤ה הָרַע֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה רַ֕ק לֹ֥א כְאָבִ֖יו וּכְאִמּ֑וֹ וַיָּ֨סַר֙ אֶת־מַצְּבַ֣ת הַבַּ֔עַל אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה אָבִֽיו׃

3:3Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Yarov’am (Jeroboam) the son of Nevat (Nebat), which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.

גרַ֠ק בְּחַטֹּ֞אות יָרָבְעָ֧ם בֶּֽן־נְבָ֛ט אֲשֶׁר־הֶחֱטִ֥יא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל דָּבֵ֑ק לֹא־סָ֖ר מִמֶּֽנָּה׃

3:4And Mesha king of Mo’av (Moab) was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs, and a hundred thousand rams, with the wool.

דוּמֵישַׁ֥ע מֶֽלֶךְ־מוֹאָ֖ב הָיָ֣ה נֹקֵ֑ד וְהֵשִׁ֤יב לְמֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מֵאָה־אֶ֣לֶף כָּרִ֔ים וּמֵ֥אָה אֶ֖לֶף אֵילִ֥ים צָֽמֶר׃

3:5But it came to pass, when Achav was dead, that the king of Mo’av rebelled against the king of Israel.

הוַיְהִ֖י כְּמ֣וֹת אַחְאָ֑ב וַיִּפְשַׁ֥ע מֶֽלֶךְ־מוֹאָ֖ב בְּמֶ֥לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

3:6And king Yehoram went out of Shomron the same time, and numbered all Israel.

ווַיֵּצֵ֞א הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ יְהוֹרָ֛ם בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא מִשֹּׁמְר֑וֹן וַיִּפְקֹ֖ד אֶת־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

3:7And he went and sent to Yehoshafat the king of Yehudah, saying, “The king of Mo’av has rebelled against me: will you go with me against Mo’av to battle?” And he said, “I will go up: I am as you are, my people as your people, and my horses as your horses.”

זוַיֵּ֡לֶךְ וַיִּשְׁלַח֩ אֶל־יְהוֹשָׁפָ֨ט מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֜ה לֵאמֹ֗ר מֶ֤לֶךְ מוֹאָב֙ פָּשַׁ֣ע בִּ֔י הֲתֵלֵ֥ךְ אִתִּ֛י אֶל־מוֹאָ֖ב לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶעֱלֶ֔ה כָּמ֧וֹנִי כָמ֛וֹךָ כְּעַמִּ֥י כְעַמֶּ֖ךָ כְּסוּסַ֥י כְּסוּסֶֽיךָ׃

3:8And he said, “Which way shall we go up?” And he answered, “The way through the wilderness of Edom.”

חוַיֹּ֕אמֶר אֵי־זֶ֥ה הַדֶּ֖רֶךְ נַעֲלֶ֑ה וַיֹּ֕אמֶר דֶּ֖רֶךְ מִדְבַּ֥ר אֱדֽוֹם׃

3:9So the king of Israel went, and the king of Yehudah, 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.

טוַיֵּלֶךְ֩ מֶ֨לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל וּמֶֽלֶך־יְהוּדָה֙ וּמֶ֣לֶךְ אֱד֔וֹם וַיָּסֹ֕בּוּ דֶּ֖רֶךְ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים וְלֹא־הָיָ֨ה מַ֧יִם לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֛ה וְלַבְּהֵמָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּרַגְלֵיהֶֽם׃

3:10And the king of Israel said, “Alas! that Hashem has called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Mo’av!”

יוַיֹּ֖אמֶר מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֲהָ֕הּ כִּֽי־קָרָ֣א יְהוָ֗ה לִשְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת֙ הַמְּלָכִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה לָתֵ֥ת אוֹתָ֖ם בְּיַד־מוֹאָֽב׃

3:11But Yehoshafat said, “Is there not here a prophet of Hashem, that we may inquire of Hashem by him?” And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, “Here is Elisha the son of Shafat (Shaphat), which poured water on the hands of Eliyahu (Elijah).”

יאוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוֹשָׁפָ֗ט הַאֵ֨ין פֹּ֤ה נָבִיא֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה וְנִדְרְשָׁ֥ה אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה מֵאוֹת֑וֹ וַ֠יַּעַן אֶחָ֞ד מֵעַבְדֵ֤י מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וַיֹּ֔אמֶר פֹּ֚ה אֱלִישָׁ֣ע בֶּן־שָׁפָ֔ט אֲשֶׁר־יָ֥צַק מַ֖יִם עַל־יְדֵ֥י אֵלִיָּֽהוּ׃

3:12And Yehoshafat said, “The word of Hashem is with him.” So the king of Israel and Yehoshafat and the king of Edom went down to him.

יבוַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ יְה֣וֹשָׁפָ֔ט יֵ֥שׁ אוֹת֖וֹ דְּבַר־יְהוָ֑ה וַיֵּרְד֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו מֶ֧לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל וִיהוֹשָׁפָ֖ט וּמֶ֥לֶךְ אֱדֽוֹם׃

3:13And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, “What have I to do with you? get you to the prophets of your father, and to the prophets of your mother.” And the king of Israel said unto him, “Nay: for Hashem has called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Mo’av.”

יגוַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֱלִישָׁ֜ע אֶל־מֶ֤לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מַה־לִּ֣י וָלָ֔ךְ לֵ֚ךְ אֶל־נְבִיאֵ֣י אָבִ֔יךָ וְאֶל־נְבִיאֵ֖י אִמֶּ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אַ֗ל כִּֽי־קָרָ֤א יְהוָה֙ לִשְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת֙ הַמְּלָכִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה לָתֵ֥ת אוֹתָ֖ם בְּיַד־מוֹאָֽב׃

3:14And Elisha said, “As Hashem of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Yehoshafat the king of Yehudah, I would not look toward you, nor see you.

ידוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלִישָׁ֗ע חַי־יְהוָ֤ה צְבָאוֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָמַ֣דְתִּי לְפָנָ֔יו כִּ֗י לוּלֵ֛י פְּנֵ֛י יְהוֹשָׁפָ֥ט מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֖ה אֲנִ֣י נֹשֵׂ֑א אִם־אַבִּ֥יט אֵלֶ֖יךָ וְאִם־אֶרְאֶֽךָּ׃

3:15But now bring me a minstrel.” And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of Hashem came upon him.

טווְעַתָּ֖ה קְחוּ־לִ֣י מְנַגֵּ֑ן וְהָיָה֙ כְּנַגֵּ֣ן הַֽמְנַגֵּ֔ן וַתְּהִ֥י עָלָ֖יו יַד־יְהוָֽה׃

3:16And he said, “Thus says Hashem, ‘Make this valley full of ditches.’

טזוַיֹּ֕אמֶר כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה עָשֹׂ֛ה הַנַּ֥חַל הַזֶּ֖ה גֵּבִ֥ים ׀ גֵּבִֽים׃

3:17For thus says Hashem, ‘You shall not see wind, neither shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that you may drink, both you, and your cattle, and your beasts.’

יזכִּֽי־כֹ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה לֹֽא־תִרְא֥וּ ר֨וּחַ֙ וְלֹֽא־תִרְא֣וּ גֶ֔שֶׁם וְהַנַּ֥חַל הַה֖וּא יִמָּ֣לֵא מָ֑יִם וּשְׁתִיתֶ֛ם אַתֶּ֥ם וּמִקְנֵיכֶ֖ם וּֽבְהֶמְתְּכֶֽם׃

3:18And this is but a light thing in the sight of Hashem: He will deliver Mo’av also into your hand.

יחוְנָקַ֥ל זֹ֖את בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וְנָתַ֥ן אֶת־מוֹאָ֖ב בְּיֶדְכֶֽם׃

3:19And you shall strike 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.”

יטוְהִכִּיתֶ֞ם כָּל־עִ֤יר מִבְצָר֙ וְכָל־עִ֣יר מִבְח֔וֹר וְכָל־עֵ֥ץ טוֹב֙ תַּפִּ֔ילוּ וְכָל־מַעְיְנֵי־מַ֖יִם תִּסְתֹּ֑מוּ וְכֹל֙ הַחֶלְקָ֣ה הַטּוֹבָ֔ה תַּכְאִ֖בוּ בָּאֲבָנִֽים׃

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

כוַיְהִ֤י בַבֹּ֨קֶר֙ כַּעֲל֣וֹת הַמִּנְחָ֔ה וְהִנֵּה־מַ֥יִם בָּאִ֖ים מִדֶּ֣רֶךְ אֱד֑וֹם וַתִּמָּלֵ֥א הָאָ֖רֶץ אֶת־הַמָּֽיִם׃

3:21And when all Mo’av 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.

כאוְכָל־מוֹאָב֙ שָֽׁמְע֔וּ כִּֽי־עָל֥וּ הַמְּלָכִ֖ים לְהִלָּ֣חֶם בָּ֑ם וַיִּצָּעֲק֗וּ מִכֹּ֨ל חֹגֵ֤ר חֲגֹרָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה וַיַּעַמְד֖וּ עַֽל־הַגְּבֽוּל׃

3:22And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and Mo’av saw the water on the other side as red as blood:

כבוַיַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ בַבֹּ֔קֶר וְהַשֶּׁ֖מֶשׁ זָרְחָ֣ה עַל־הַמָּ֑יִם וַיִּרְא֨וּ מוֹאָ֥ב מִנֶּ֛גֶד אֶת־הַמַּ֖יִם אֲדֻמִּ֥ים כַּדָּֽם׃

3:23And they said, “This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have struck one another: now therefore, Mo’av, to the spoil.”

כגוַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ דָּ֣ם זֶ֔ה הָחֳרֵ֤ב נֶֽחֶרְבוּ֙ הַמְּלָכִ֔ים וַיַּכּ֖וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְעַתָּ֥ה לַשָּׁלָ֖ל מוֹאָֽב׃

3:24And when they came to the camp of Israel, Israel rose up and struck Mo’av, so that they fled before them: and they struck it, even striking Mo’av.

כדוַיָּבֹאוּ֮ אֶל־מַחֲנֵ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ וַיָּקֻ֤מוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וַיַּכּ֣וּ אֶת־מוֹאָ֔ב וַיָּנֻ֖סוּ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיַּכּוּ (כתיב ויבו)־בָ֔הּ וְהַכּ֖וֹת אֶת־מוֹאָֽב׃

3:25And 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 Kir Charaset (Kir-haraseth) left they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and struck it.

כהוְהֶעָרִ֣ים יַהֲרֹ֡סוּ וְכָל־חֶלְקָ֣ה ט֠וֹבָה יַשְׁלִ֨יכוּ אִישׁ־אַבְנ֜וֹ וּמִלְא֗וּהָ וְכָל־מַעְיַן־מַ֤יִם יִסְתֹּ֨מוּ֙ וְכָל־עֵֽץ־ט֣וֹב יַפִּ֔ילוּ עַד־הִשְׁאִ֧יר אֲבָנֶ֛יהָ בַּקִּ֖יר חֲרָ֑שֶׂת וַיָּסֹ֥בּוּ הַקַּלָּעִ֖ים וַיַּכּֽוּהָ׃

3:26And when the king of Mo’av 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.

כווַיַּרְא֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מוֹאָ֔ב כִּֽי־חָזַ֥ק מִמֶּ֖נּוּ הַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה וַיִּקַּ֣ח א֠וֹתוֹ שְׁבַע־מֵא֨וֹת אִ֜ישׁ שֹׁ֣לֵֽף חֶ֗רֶב לְהַבְקִ֛יעַ אֶל־מֶ֥לֶךְ אֱד֖וֹם וְלֹ֥א יָכֹֽלוּ׃

3:27Then 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.

כזוַיִּקַּח֩ אֶת־בְּנ֨וֹ הַבְּכ֜וֹר אֲשֶׁר־יִמְלֹ֣ךְ תַּחְתָּ֗יו וַיַּעֲלֵ֤הוּ עֹלָה֙ עַל־הַ֣חֹמָ֔ה וַיְהִ֥י קֶצֶף־גָּד֖וֹל עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּסְעוּ֙ מֵֽעָלָ֔יו וַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּ לָאָֽרֶץ׃