Lord Chemosh, foremost of the gods, I tell of your great conquests. Holy Chemosh, unstoppable one, I speak of your campaigns. Lord who hates when evil is done in the world. Great prince who protects his people and delivers victory. When you utter a decree, who can change it? When you decide a destiny, who can oppose it? You who are mighty among the gods.
In those years, in those ancient years, after lands of the Saggiga were taken by Akkad. After mighty Babylon rose to power. It came to pass that Omri, King of Israel, oppressed the land of Moab. He imposed on them a tax of one hundred thousand sheep and one hundred thousand rams, angering holy Chemosh. And Omri soon perished, but his son succeeded him and he too oppressed Moab. He launched a campaign against the land of Moab and occupied it. For forty years he held the land and oppressed the people.
Then Mesha, King of Moab, built two cities; Baal-meon and Kiriathaim.
After he had done this he rose up and rebelled against the king of Israel, who had fortified himself in the city of Ataroth. He assaulted the wall and captured it. He killed the soldiers of the enemy land and captured it in the name of holy Chemosh. Therein he placed men from Kirjath, Siran and Mochrath.
Then mighty Chemosh spoke to King Mesha and said, “go and take Nebo against Israel.” And King Mesha obeyed. He took his armies against the rebel lands and made war with them.
And so king Joram of Israel, son of Omri, sent message and mobilized his people. He sent word to Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and enlisted his aid. They set off through the desert and soon his army was without water. And Joram exclaimed, “What? Has Yahweh called his kings together just to deliver them to the hands of Moab?”
Jehosaphat replied, “is there no prophet of Yahweh here through whom we may inquire of him?”
An officer of Joram replied, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.”
Jehoshaphat said, “The word of Yahweh is with him.” and so they went to Elisha, prophet of Yahweh and inquired with him, demanding an answer for their fate.
And Elisha answered them and said, ”This is what Yahweh says: I will fill this valley with pools of water. You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. This is an easy thing in the eyes of Yahweh; he will also deliver Moab into your hands. You will overthrow every fortified city and every major town. You will cut down every good tree, stop up all the springs, and ruin every good field with stones.” and so the kings of the armies of Yahweh were encouraged. The next morning they made a sacrifice to Yahweh and the land filled with water. Then they raised their armies and attacked the armies of king Mesha, loyal servant of Chemosh.
And King Mesha led his armies in retaliation and attacked Israel. Holy Utu shined down favorably upon them. They fought from daybreak to noon and conquered the rebel armies. They killed all seven-thousand of Yahweh’s men. Then in triumph, King Mesha took their women and maidens and dedicated them to Ashtar, who is Inanna, and to Chemosh, who is Utu. He took the city from the rebel god Yahweh and dedicated it to holy Chemosh.
Then King Mesha fortified Karchah. He built a wall of the forest and a wall of the hill. He built mighty gates and towers. He built a palace and a prison for the rebels who defy the laws of Utu. And there were no wells in the city, so the king told his people, “make a well in every house.” Then he dug a ditch around the city with the men of Israel. He built the city of Aroer and a mighty bridge across the Arnon River. He rebuilt the destroyed cities of Beth-Bamoth and Bezer. And the city of Daybon became loyal to the king. Then he annexed Bikran and ruled from there. And he built many more cities for the poor people of the land. And the land of Moab rejoiced and praised Chemosh.
And so Chemosh defeated the rebel god Yahweh and proved himself superior. He made a liar out of Elisha, prophet of Yahweh. For his conquest of rebel Yahweh, may Chemosh be praised! Holy Chemosh, praising you is sweet.