Part 213 (1/2)

The account of other events of this reign not given here, and how the king, already sick from arrow wounds received in battle, was killed by an arrow from the strong bow of Jehu, will be found in the ”Stories of Elijah and Elisha” in this volume. Joram was a fighting king, but he was not always successful. The battle in which he received his wounds previous to his death was an attempt to take Ramoth-gilead in company with Ahaziah of Judah, but the Syrian archers wounded him so severely that he was forced to retire. The story given below is of an attack made upon Mesha, ”sheep-master” king of Moab, who, it seems, refused two years previously the tribute of wool which he had paid to Israel.

Joram called the kings of Judah and Edom together, and the three made an expedition to punish the Moabites. The armies would have perished miserably had it not been for a miracle performed by Elisha. The expedition, while momentarily successful, ended in the retreat of the allies without having fully accomplished their purpose.)

Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, but not like his father, and like his mother; for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made. Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.

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Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep-master; and he rendered unto the king of Israel the wool of a hundred thousand lambs, and of a hundred thousand rams. But it came to pa.s.s, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. And King Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time, and mustered all Israel. 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, my horses as thy horses.”

And he said, ”Which way shall we go up?”

And he answered, ”The way of the wilderness of Edom.”

So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they made a circuit of seven days' journey: and there was no water for the host, nor for the beasts that followed them.

And the king of Israel said, ”Alas! for the Lord hath called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”

But Jehoshaphat said, ”Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we may inquire of the Lord by him?”

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

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.

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[Ill.u.s.tration]

RUINS AT THE ANCIENT JERICHO.

Used by special permission of the Detroit Photograph Company.

The modern village of Jericho, near the ruins of ancient Jericho.

With its mud walls and thatched roofs, it is one of the poorest and most miserable villages in all Palestine.

[End ill.u.s.tration]

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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.”

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. But now bring me a minstrel.” And it came to pa.s.s, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him.