3:1 犹大王约沙法特十八年，阿哈布的儿子耶曷兰在撒玛黎雅登极作以色列王，在位凡十二年。
Joram, son of Ahab, became king of Israel in Samaria (in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and he reigned for twelve years). 3:2 他行了上主视为恶的事，不过还不像他的父亲和母亲那样坏，因为他除去了他父亲所立的巴耳神柱，
He did evil in the LORD’s sight, though not as much as his father and mother. He did away with the pillar of Baal, which his father had made, 3:3 只是对乃巴特的儿子雅洛贝罕使以色列陷于罪过的事，仍恋恋不舍，从未脱离。
but he still clung to the sin to which Jeroboam, son of Nebat, had lured Israel; this he did not give up. 3:4 摩阿布王默沙原是一个以畜牧为业的人，他经常以十万只羔羊和十万只公山羊毛，向以色列王进贡；
Now Mesha, king of Moab, who raised sheep, used to pay the king of Israel as tribute a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams. 3:5 但在阿哈布死后，摩阿布王便背叛了以色列王。
But when Ahab died, the king of Moab had rebelled against the king of Israel. 3:6 那时，耶曷兰王从撒玛黎雅出来，检阅全以色列人，
Joram as king mustered all Israel, and when he set out on a campaign from Samaria, 3:7 以后派使者去见犹大王约沙法特说：「摩阿布王背叛了我，你愿意同我一起去攻打摩阿布吗﹖」约沙法特说：「愿意去；你怎样，我也怎样；我的人民就如同是你的人民，我的马就如同是你的马。」
he sent the king of Judah the message: "The king of Moab is in rebellion against me. Will you join me in battle against Moab?" "I will," he replied. "You and I shall be as one, your people and mine, and your horses and mine as well." 3:8 约沙法特接着问说：「我们从那条路上去﹖」耶曷兰答说：「从厄东旷野那条路。」
They discussed the route for their attack, and settled upon the route through the desert of Edom. 3:9 于是以色列王、犹大王和厄东王出发，绕道而行，七天以后，军队和随行的一大队牲畜没有水喝。
So the king of Israel set out, accompanied by the king of Judah and the king of Edom. After their roundabout journey of seven days the water gave out for the army and for the animals with them. 3:10 以色列王说：「哎！上主召集这三个王子，原是将他们交在摩阿布手中啊！」
"Alas!" exclaimed the king of Israel. "The LORD has called together these three kings to put them in the grasp of Moab." 3:11 约沙法特问说：「这里有没有一位上主的先知，我们可以托他求问上主﹖」以色列王的一个臣仆回答说：「这里有沙法特的儿子厄里叟，就是常在厄里亚手上倒水的那一位。」
But the king of Judah asked, "Is there no prophet of the LORD here through whom we may inquire of the LORD?" One of the officers of the king of Israel replied, "Elisha, son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah, is here." 3:12 约沙法特说：「他必有上主的话。」以色列王、约沙法特和厄东王，于是一同下去见他。
"He has the word of the LORD," the king of Judah agreed. So the kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom went down to Elisha. 3:13 厄里叟对以色列王说：「我和你有什么关系﹖你去找你父亲和你母亲的先知罢！」以色列王说：「不要这样说！上主召集了这三个王子，原是要将他们交于摩阿布手中啊！」
"What do you want with me?" Elisha asked the king of Israel. "Go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother." "No," the king of Israel replied. "The LORD has called these three kings together to put them in the grasp of Moab." 3:14 厄里叟说：「我指着我所服事的永生万军的上主起誓：我如果不是为了犹大王约沙法特的情面，我决不看你，也不睬你。
Then Elisha said, "As the LORD of hosts lives, whom I serve, were it not that I respect the king of Judah, I should neither look at you nor notice you at all. 3:15 现在，你们给我叫一个弹琴的人来。」原来每逢乐师弹琴的时候，上主的手就临到他身上。
Now get me a minstrel." When the minstrel played, the power of the LORD came upon Elisha 3:16 厄里叟说：「上主这样说：你们在这山谷中遍挖壕沟，
and he announced: "Thus says the LORD, 'Provide many catch basins in this wadi.' 3:17 因为上主这样说：你们不见风，也不见雨，这山谷中却要充满了水，使你们、你们的军队和牲畜都有水喝。
For the LORD says, ’though you will see neither wind nor rain, yet this wadi will be filled with water for you, your livestock, and your pack animals to drink.' 3:18 这在上主看来还是小事，他还要将摩阿布交在你们手中，
And since the LORD does not consider this enough, he will also deliver Moab into your grasp. 3:19 使你们攻破所有设防的城市，砍倒所有的好树，杜塞所有的水泉，用石头毁坏所有的良田。」
You shall destroy every fortified city, fell every fruit tree, stop up all the springs, and ruin every fertile field with stones." 3:20 果然，早上正献祭的时候，从厄东方面来了大水，遍地满了水。
In the morning, at the time of the sacrifice, water came from the direction of Edom and filled the land. 3:21 全摩阿布人一听说三个王子前来进攻，就召集了所有能佩带武器的人，把守边界。
Meanwhile, all Moab heard that the kings had come to give them battle; every man capable of bearing arms was called up and stationed at the border. 3:22 第二天早晨，日光照在水上，摩阿布人起来，看见对面的水红得象血，
Early that morning, when the sun shone on the water, the Moabites saw the water at a distance as red as blood. 3:23 遂说：「这是血！一定是那三个王子彼此混战，互相残杀。摩阿布，起来，前去夺取财物！」
"This is blood!" they exclaimed. "The kings have fought among themselves and killed one another. Quick! To the spoils, Moabites!" 3:24 及至他们到了以色列营地，以色列人即奋起迎敌，摩阿布人从他们面前逃走，他们就乘势追赶，击杀摩阿布人，
But when they reached the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and attacked the Moabites, who fled from them. They ranged through the countryside striking down the Moabites, and 3:25 破坏了他们的城市，个个用石头拋满了他们的良田，杜塞了所有的水泉，砍倒了各种好树；只剩下克尔赫勒斯城，拋石头的人仍包围攻击那城。
destroying the cities; each of them cast stones onto every fertile field till they had loaded it down; all the springs they stopped up and every useful tree they felled. Finally only Kir-hareseth was left behind its stone walls, and the slingers had surrounded it and were attacking it. 3:26 摩阿布王见战事激烈，难以抵抗，就带领七百人，手持刀剑，企图突围，往投阿兰王，却没有成功；
When he saw that he was losing the battle, the king of Moab took seven hundred swordsmen to break through to the king of Aram, but he failed. 3:27 于是将那要继承自己位的长子叫来，在城墙上祭杀了，作为全燔祭。这事使天主向以色列人大发忿怒；他们便离开摩阿布王，各自回了本地。
So he took his first-born, his heir apparent, and offered him as a holocaust upon the wall. The wrath against Israel was so great that they gave up the siege and returned to their own land.