Midrash sa 2 Mga Hari 3:9: Midrash Tanchuma, Midrash Tanchuma Buber & Bamidbar Rabbah

(Numb. 25:16-17:) “Then the Lord spoke [unto Moses], saying, ‘Harass the Midianites […].’” Why?⁵Numb. R. 21:4. (Numb. 25:18:) “Because they are harassing you.” Hence the sages have said, “If someone comes to kill you, act first to kill him.”⁶Ber. 62b; Sanh. 72a. R. Simeon says, “Whoever causes a person to sin is worse than the one who kills him. Because whoever kills [a person] kills him in this world, but he [still] has a share in the world to come. However, the one who causes him to sin kills him in this world and for the world to come. Two peoples encountered Israel with the sword, the Egyptians and the Edomites. Thus it is stated (of the Egyptians that they said (in Exod. 15:9), “I will pursue, I will overtake, [I will divide the spoil…].” And Edom [did the same], as stated (in Numb. 20:18), “But Edom said unto him, ‘You shall not pass through me, or else I will come out to meet you with the sword.’” Moreover, two [peoples encountered them] with sin, Moab and the Ammonites. Concerning the ones who encountered them with the sword, it is written (in Deut. 23:8), “You shall not abhor an Edomite …; you shall not abhor an Egyptian.” But concerning the ones who encountered them with sin to cause Israel to sin, it is stated (according to Deut. 23:4), “No Ammonite or Moabite shall come into the assembly of the Lord […].” And in this world you have not [yet] fulfilled your obligation, as stated (in Numb. 25:17), “Harass the Midianites.” (Numb. 25:17:) “Harass the Midianites.” What is the meaning of “Harass the Midianites?” Even though it is written in the Torah (in Deut. 20:10), “When you draw near unto a city to fight against it, you shall offer terms of peace (shalom) unto it”; however, in regard to these [peoples] you shall not do this; (according to Deut. 23:7), “You shall not seek their welfare (shalom) and benefit all your days forever.”⁷Numb. R. 21:5. You find that the one who came to them with the trait of mercy, in the end came to disgrace, war and distress. And who [was that]? David, as stated (in II Sam. 10:2), “David said, ‘I will do kindness with Hanun son of Nahash.’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “You are transgressing My word, as I wrote (in Deut. 23:7), ‘You shall not seek their welfare and benefit,’ and you are doing acts of kindness with them? (Eccl. 7:12:) ‘Do not be greatly righteous,’ such that a man should not forego [what is written in] the Torah. And this one is sending [word] to console the Children of Ammon and to do kindness and good to him?” And in the end, he came to disgrace [as stated] (in II Sam. 10:4), “So Hanun seized David’s courtiers, clipped off one side of their beards [and cut away half of their garments at the buttocks, and sent them off].” And he came to disgrace, and afterwards to war with four nations: Aram-Naharayim, with the kings of Zova, with the kings of Maakha and with Children of Ammon. And it is written (about this in II Sam. 10:9), “Joab saw that there was a battle line against him both front and rear.” What caused him [this]? That he sought to do good to those about whom the Holy One, blessed be He, told him, “You shall not seek their welfare and benefit.” Hence it is written (Numb. 25:17), “Harass the Midianites.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 25:17), “Harass (tsrwr) the Midianites.” Even though I have written (in Deut. 20:19), “When you besiege (rt. tswr) a city a [long time] […], you shall not destroy its trees,”⁸Numb. R. 21:6. in the case of these (i.e., Moab and the Ammonites) you shall not do so. On the contrary, their trees you shall destroy. And so you find that when Joram king of Israel, Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and the king of Edom went to fight with Moab, (according to II Kings 3:9) “they circled around on a seven-day march, so that there was no water for the army or for the animals that were with them.” They began to weep, and (according to vs. 10) “The king of Israel said, ‘Alas, for the Lord has summoned these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.’” Jehoshaphat answered (in vs. 11), “Is there no prophet of the Lord here through, who we may inquire of the Lord…?” [This passage is] to make known the wickedness of Joram, in that he did not acknowledge Him. (Vs. 12:) “Then Jehoshaphat said, ‘the word of the Lord is with him’; so the king of Israel, Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom went down unto him.” Why is Jehoshaphat not called a king here? In order to make known the humility of that righteous man, in that he did not want to go down before the prophet in royal garb, but as a commoner.⁹Gk.: idiotes. But some say, “[It was] because an edict had been decreed that he would be killed with Ahab that the scriptural text has reckoned [the reign of] his son from that hour. For that reason ‘king’ was not written.” But as a reward for their going down to the prophet, they attained the right to see all those miracles. When the king of Israel saw Elisha, Elisha said to the king of Israel (according to vs. 13,) “What have I to do with you; go unto the prophets of your father and unto the prophets of your mother.” He began to implore him. (Ibid., cont.:) “And the king of Israel said to him…,” as he had never asked him [anything] in his life. (Vss. 14-15:) “Elisha said, ‘As the Lord of hosts lives…Now then get me a musician….” And the rest of the whole parashah. Moreover, he said to them “The Moabites shall fall into your hands, (in vs. 19) ‘thus you shall smite every fortified city and every choice city, [you shall also fell every good tree].’” They said to him, “[But] the Holy One, blessed be He said (in Deut. 20:19), ‘You shall not destroy its trees’; yet you are saying [to do] so.” He said to them, “He gave the command with reference to the rest of the nations, but this one is insignificant and contemptable,” as stated (in II Kings 3:18), “This one is insignificant in the eyes of the Lord, so He will give Moab into your hands.” It is [also] stated (in Deut. 23:7), “You shall not seek their welfare and benefit (literally, their good).” [That is referring to] the good trees. It is therefore stated (in Numb. 25:17), “Harass the Midianites.”

Another interpretation (of Numb. 25:17): HARASS (TsRWR) THE MIDIANITES. Even though I have written (in Deut. 20:19): WHEN YOU BESIEGE (rt. TsWR) A CITY a <LONG TIME> […], YOU SHALL NOT DESTROY ITS TREES,²⁴Numb. R. 21:6. in the case of these (i.e., Moab and and the Ammonites) you shall not do so. On the contrary, their trees you shall destroy. And so you find that, when Joram king of Israel, Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and the king of Edom went to fight with Moab, (according to II Kings 3:9) THEY CIRCLED AROUND ON A SEVEN-DAY MARCH, SO THAT THERE WAS NO WATER FOR THE ARMY OR FOR THE ANIMALS THAT WERE WITH THEM. They began to weep, AND (according to vs. 10) THE KING OF ISRAEL SAID: ALAS, FOR THE LORD HAS SUMMONED <THESE> THREE KINGS <TO GIVE THEM INTO THE HAND OF MOAB>. Jehoshaphat answered (in vs. 11): IS THERE NO PROPHET OF THE LORD HERE …? <THEN ONE OF THE SERVANTS OF THE KING OF ISRAEL ANSWERED> AND SAID: ELISHA BEN SHAPHAT WHO USED TO POUR WATER ON THE HANDS OF ELIJAH IS HERE. <This passage is> to make known the wickedness of Joram, in that he did not acknowledge him. (Vs. 12:) THEN JEHOSHAPHAT SAID: THE WORD OF THE LORD IS WITH HIM. SO THE KING OF ISRAEL, JEHOSHAPHAT, AND THE KING OF EDOM WENT DOWN UNTO HIM. Why is Jehoshaphat not called a king here? In order to make known the humility of that righteous man, in that he did not want to go down before the prophet in royal garb but as a commoner.²⁵Gk.: idiotes. Some also say: It was because an edict had been decreed that he would be killed with Ahab, that the scriptural text has reckoned <the reign of> his son from that hour. For that reason "king" was not written, but as a reward for their going down to the prophet, they attained the right to see all those miracles. (vs. 13:) [THEN] ELISHA SAID (TO) [UNTO] THE KING OF ISRAEL: WHAT HAVE I TO DO WITH YOU? GO UNTO THE PROPHETS OF YOUR FATHER <AND UNTO THE PROPHETS OF YOUR MOTHER>. He began to implore him. He said to him (ibid., cont.): SURELY THE LORD HAS SUMMONED <THESE THREE KINGS TO GIVE THEM INTO THE HAND OF MOAB>. (vss. 14–17:) [ELISHA] SAID: AS THE LORD OF HOSTS LIVES, BEFORE WHOM I STAND, WERE IT NOT THAT I HAVE REGARD FOR JEHOSHAPHAT [KING OF JUDAH], <I WOULD NEITHER LOOK UPON YOU NOR NOTICE YOU>. NOW THEN GET ME A MUSICIAN…. FOR THUS SAYS THE LORD: YOU SHALL SEE NO WIND, NOR SHALL YOU SEE RAIN; YET THAT WADI SHALL BE FILLED WITH WATER…. <So he gave them> what they needed. Moreover, he said to them (in vs. 18–19): {THE MOABITES SHALL FALL AT YOUR HAND} [SO HE WILL GIVE MOAB INTO YOUR HAND]. THUS YOU SHALL SMITE EVERY FORTIFIED CITY AND EVERY CHOICE CITY. YOU SHALL ALSO FELL EVERY GOOD TREE AND STOP UP ALL SPRINGS OF WATER. They said to him: But it is written here (in Deut. 20:19): YOU SHALL NOT DESTROY ITS TREES; yet you are saying <to do> so. He said to them: He gave the command with reference to the rest of the nations, but this one is insignificant, while that one is contemptable, as stated (in II Kings 3:18): THIS ONE IS INSIGNIFICANT IN THE EYES OF THE LORD, SO HE WILL GIVE MOAB INTO YOUR HAND. It is also written (in Deut. 23:7 [6]): YOU SHALL NOT SEEK THEIR WELFARE (shalom) AND BENEFIT. These are the good trees. It is therefore stated (in Numb. 25:17): HARASS THE MIDIANITES.

Another matter: “Assail the Midianites” – because I wrote: “When you besiege a city many days to wage war against it to seize it, you shall not destroy its trees” (Deuteronomy 20:19) – but to these, you shall not do so, but rather, destroy their trees. Likewise you find that when Yoram king of Israel went out to wage war against Moav, “They went around on a route of seven days; there was no water for the camp or for the animals” (II Kings 3:9), they began weeping. “The king of Israel said: Alas, as the Lord has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moav” (II Kings 3:10). Yehoshafat responded to him: “Is there no prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of the Lord through him? One of the servants of the king of Israel replied and said: Elisha son of Shafat is here, who poured water over the hands of Elijah” (II Kings 3:11) – to inform of the wickedness of Yoram, who did not acknowledge him, as it was only Yehoshafat who acknowledged him: “Yehoshafat said: The word of the Lord is with him. The king of Israel and Yehoshafat [and the king of Edom] descended to him” (II Kings 3:12). Why is “king” not stated here regarding Yehoshafat? It is to inform you of the humility of that righteous one, who did not wish to descend before the prophet in royal garments, but rather as a common, God-fearing man. Some say: It is because the decree was issued that he would be killed with Ahab;⁹Yehoshafat was saved from the decree by his prayer (Matnot Kehuna; see I Kings 22:32). from that moment the verse began counting the reign of his son. That is why king is not written.
In reward for having descended before the prophet, they merited witnessing all the miracles. When Elisha saw them he said to the king of Israel: “What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother” (II Kings 3:13), as he had never in his life consulted him. He began pleading before him: “The king of Israel said to him: Nay, for the Lord has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moav” (II Kings 3:13). “Elisha said: As the Lord of hosts, before whom I stand, lives, were it not that I honor the presence of Yehoshafat king of Judah, I would not look at you, and I would not see you. Now bring me a musician.… [And he said:].… So said the Lord: You will not see wind, and you will not see rain, but this ravine will be filled with water, and you and your livestock…will drink” (II Kings 3:14–17). He gave them water, which they needed. Moreover, he said to them: ‘The Moavites are in your hand’; “He will deliver Moav into your hand. You shall smite every fortified city…and you will fell every good [tov] tree, stop all springs of water” (II Kings 3:18–19). They said to him: ‘The Torah said: “You shall not destroy its trees” (Deuteronomy 20:19), and this is what you say?’ He said to them: ‘Regarding all the nations he commanded this matter, but this [nation, Moav,] is inconsequential and contemptible,’ as it is stated: “This is trivial in the eyes of the Lord; He will deliver Moav into your hand” (II Kings 3:18), as He said: “You shall not seek their peace or their welfare [tovatam]” (Deuteronomy 23:7) – these are their good [tovot] trees. That is why it is stated: “Assail the Midianites.”