II Kings 3
From King Jehoshaphat's Journals
The prophet Elisha told us to dig ditches. Many of them. Throughout the entire valley.
The soldiers dug for several hours, even after the sun went down. When the last pieces of dirt flew out of the last ditch, all the men from the armies of Israel, Judah, and Edom went to sleep.
As the sun rose the next morning, we prepared to offer sacrifices in thanks to God for what He would do and for our sins. One of my men came running to me. "Look! All the ditches have water in them. The animals are already drinking."
I turned and found water flowing from the direction of Edom. Praise God He provided water for us.
A moment later one of my spies interrupted. "Excuse me, my lord. I have news."
"Tell me at once." He was the man I had sent to discover what the Moabites planned to do.
"I hid behind a bush and heard them as they woke this morning. They looked toward the desert and saw the ditches we dug and the water in them. But from where they stood, and with the red morning sky reflecting from the water, they thought blood filled the ditches. They did not know God placed water there for us.
"Once they decided blood filled the ditches they shouted, 'The kings must have fought and slaughtered each other. Let's go an take all the plunder we can!' They laughed and have assembled their men read to plunder."
"Our God has given us the battle indeed and has shown us his battle plan. Tell everyone to lie down as if dead. Hurry. Tell them to wait for my signal then leap upon our enemy the Moabites."
The spy went throughout the camp, gathering many men to spread the word.
I peeked out from my tent at the "dead" soldiers from Israel, Judah, and Edom. I listened for the rumble of the Moabite army and waited for them to come close. They would not carry their weapons to free their arms for plunder.
As the Moabite army reached ten feet away from our army I shouted. "Attack!" Our entire army leaped to their feet with their swords in hand. The army fought valiantly until the Moabites fled. We invaded their land, and conquered everything just as Elisha said.
The king of Moab gathered seven hundred swordsman and ran after the king of Edom to attack however our armies protected the king of Edom.
The battle had been won.
We returned to our homes the victors and only because of the hand of God.
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photo courtesy of visualbiblealive.com
1. Why did the soldiers dig ditches throughout the valley?
2. The next morning what did they find in the ditches?
3. A spy reported the Moabites waking and seeing what in the valley?
4. What did they think happened?
5. What did the Moabites decide to do.
6. How did the Israelites, Judaeans, and Edomites surprise the Moabites?
7. Who supplied the water? Who gave the perfect battle plan?
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