Jehoram, Jehoshaphat, Elisha and Mesha 2 Kings 3

Frederick Augustus Klein was an Anglican missionary who dedicated his life to reaching Palestinian populations in Nazareth and Jerusalem between 1851 and 1877. As an avid amateur archaeologist, in August 1868 Klein discovered the Moabite Stone, or Mesha Stele, while exploring the ancient ruins of Dhiban in present-day Jordan. This basalt stone, inscribed with 34 lines in the Moabite language, is the longest Iron Age inscription found in the region and contains the earliest extrabiblical mention of Jehovah. Although written very much from a Moabite perspective, the stone refers to figures and events described in the passage under our consideration, 2 Kings 3. It also contains the most extensive record recovered from this period referring to the kingdom of Israel.¹

Although fascinating from an archaeological perspective, the chapter is more important in its relevance for God’s people today. Central to the narrative are four very different characters: Jehoram, the ungodly king of Israel; Jehoshaphat, the righteous yet flawed king of Judah; Elisha, the unwavering prophet; and Mesha, the depraved king of Moab. Let us consider these individuals in turn.

Jehoram the pretender, vv. 1-6

Jehoram,² king of Israel for twelve years, did not have good role models or peers. His parents, Jezebel and Ahab, were among the most wicked leaders in Israel’s history. His elder brother Ahaziah was an inveterate idolater, enquiring of Baalzebub even on his death bed, 2 Kgs. 1. His sister Athaliah became one of the most wicked and tyrannical rulers Israel had witnessed, 2 Kgs. 11. Although Jehoram was a moderate ruler compared to his contemporaries, removing Baal worship, v. 2, we are told, ‘Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin’, v. 3. Like Aaron centuries earlier, Exod. 32. 4, Jeroboam had crafted calves of gold declaring, ‘behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt’, 1 Kgs. 12. 28.

Jehoram professed to follow Jehovah, adhering to the first commandment, ‘I am the Lord thy God … thou shalt have no other gods before me’, Exod. 20. 2, 3. Yet he flagrantly violated the second commandment, ‘Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image … thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them’, vv. 4, 5. In reality, Jehoram was a pretender, and his profession was false. The religion he followed was a corrupted version of the true worship of Jehovah. Despite claiming to love and serve the Lord, his actions showed otherwise.

Verse 6 becomes a trigger point for the events that follow with Mesha king of Moab rebelling against Israel’s domination after the death of Ahab, Jehoram’s father.

Jehoshaphat the partner, vv. 7-12

Jehoshaphat’s twenty-five year reign over Judah had many commendable qualities,³ for example, his leadership over God’s people leading them in prayer in a time of crisis, 2 Chr. 20. 1-34. A weakness of Jehoshaphat, however, was his propensity to form unequal partnerships or yokes. Paul reminds us, ‘Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?’ 2 Cor. 6. 14. These unequal partnerships were seen in three spheres:

The unequal yoke of business: Jehoshaphat went into a shipbuilding partnership with wicked King Ahaziah, 2 Chr. 20. 35-37. However, the Lord intervened, bringing disaster on the enterprise with the ships breaking up.

The unequal yoke of marriage: The marriage of Jehoshaphat’s son, Jehoram (not the same Jehoram mentioned earlier), to Athaliah the daughter of Ahab, had all the hallmarks of a political marriage that was probably planned by Jehoshaphat. The alliance ultimately led to the spiritual declension of Israel, 2 Chr. 21. 6. Our decisions in respect to marriage have wide-reaching implications on our life and the lives of others. Apart from salvation, it is perhaps the most important decision we can make in life.

The unequal yoke of fellowship: Jehoshaphat demonstrated a concerning pattern of forming dubious political alliances. He previously allied with the evil King Ahab in the ill-fated battle of Ramothgilead, 1 Kgs. 22; 2 Chr. 18. Jehu the prophet subsequently admonished him, ‘Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord?’ 2 Chr. 19. 2. Despite the caution, in our chapter when Jehoram asked for support in confronting Moab, Jehoshaphat expressed his solidarity by declaring, ‘I will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses’, v. 7. Perhaps his actions were well-meant, hoping to foster harmony between Israel and Judah. However, Paul reminds us, ‘what communion hath light with darkness?’ 2 Cor. 6. 14. Jehoram was still in darkness and, as such, there was no basis for fellowship at all. Jehoshaphat was slow to learn these lessons.

The two kings opted to approach Moab by the wilderness of Edom, the plain to the south of the Dead Sea, where they were joined by the king of Edom. They hit their first challenge with a water shortage for their armies and accompanying animals, v. 9. Tensions arose as they grappled with this dilemma, leading to very different opinions. Jehoram was quick to blame God for the problems, v. 10. In contrast, Jehoshaphat advocated seeking guidance from the Lord by enlisting the aid of a prophet, v. 11. Thankfully, Elisha was nearby. The outworking of the unequal yoke became apparent as the kings began to pull in different directions.

Elisha the prophet, vv. 13-25 When Elisha encountered the trio of kings, he keenly perceived a stark contrast in their spiritual state. Holding Jehoshaphat in high esteem, Elisha identified him as a devout servant of God. Additionally, Elisha’s spiritual insight enabled him to discern the true condition of Jehoram as an idolater, v. 13. Angered by the situation, Elisha requested a musician to quieten his mind before delivering a message from the Lord, v. 15.

God would provide water for the kings with their armies, yet faith in action was first needed on their part. The word of the prophet was clear, ‘Thus saith the Lord, Make this valley full of ditches’, v. 16.⁴ From a human standpoint, this directive seemed irrational and potentially reckless. With no signs of impending rain or wind, the men, already weary and dehydrated, faced the daunting task of excavating pits in the parched soil. This plan would make a weak army even more vulnerable.

At times, God calls us to obey Him in situations that defy our comprehension. Perhaps God is saying to you today to ‘make this valley full of ditches’ as it were. He is looking to bless you, but an act of faith in action is required on your part first.

At dawn, coinciding with the time of offering of the meat (or grain) sacrifice, water cascaded down from the high Edom plateau, v. 20. Perhaps a flash flood occurred, briefly filling the dry riverbed with water,⁵ which remained only in the prepared pits. The grain offering is significant in reminding us of the perfect life and death of the Lord Jesus.⁶ The water not only quenched the thirst of the armies and their animals but also confounded the Moabite forces. The sunlight, reflecting off the pools of water, created an illusion of blood, sowing confusion among the enemy ranks, who mistook it for internal strife among the allied kings. God demonstrated His power and grace in giving much more than the allied armies had asked for, or even expected. Our God never changes. As Ephesians chapter 3 verse 20 affirms, ‘Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us’.

Mesha the provoker, vv. 26, 27 The narrative takes a sombre turn as the king of Moab, in a final desperate act, attempted to kill his neighbour, the king of Edom, likely feeling betrayed by his alliance with the other two kings. When the attempt failed, he resorted to an abhorrent act of human sacrifice, offering his eldest son. This appalling act elicited horror and revulsion from the allied armies, prompting their swift departure to their respective lands.

Such heinous practices were tragically common among the pagan nations of the Old Testament era. Regrettably, in the ensuing centuries Israel itself succumbed to the corrupting influence of these pagan customs, permitting such abominable practices within its own borders. The establishment of the high places of Tophet in Jerusalem during the time of Jeremiah serves as a poignant example of this moral decline, Jer. 19. 4-14. It is noteworthy that during this era, the kingdom of Judah faced the dire consequences of its disobedience, culminating in the devastation of captivity.

The history of Israel underscores the vital importance for God’s people to serve as ‘the salt of the earth’, maintaining our distinctiveness and preserving influence by steadfastly adhering to God’s truth. As the Lord Jesus cautioned, ‘but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men’, Matt. 5. 13.