Mesha, the king of Moab, stopped paying his tribute to Israel after Ahab died, so the king of Israel, Joram (Ahab's second son to rule) went to war against Moab with his allies: Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom
When the troops of Israel and Judah run out of water in the wilderness of Edom Jehoshaphat asks to inquire of the Lord, YHWH. One of the troops has heard of Elisha and his association with the former prophet Elijah, and Jehoshaphat approves.
Elisha sarcastically greets the pagan king Joram of Israel and insults this son of Baal worshippers Ahab and Jezebel and their god.
But, Joram, king of Israel, replies that they called Elisha because it was his God, YHWH, who was trying to kill them here in the Edom wilderness, not Baal, the god of the storms and rain. Clearly, part of the Baal theology was polytheism (many gods) and not monotheism (one God, like the religion of true Israel and the Mosaic Law)
Elisha agrees to help because Jehosophat, a true worshipper of the Lord, is present. Elisha asks for a harp player who will play music while Elisha enters into the presence of his God and receives a supernatural utterance. The use of harpists and music to receive prophetic utterances while in an ecstatic state was a common practice at this time in the history of the Near East. (See details on MAP HERE.)
Elisha receives an answer that will both alleviate the need for water and cause the defeat of Moab. (See 2 Kings 3:14-27) (Also, the Moabite stone records similar details here and here) |
