2 Kings 3:18

ELISHA ALSO PROPHESIED THE DEFEAT OF THE MOABITES

"And this is but a light thing in the sight of Jehovah: he will also deliver the Moabites into your hand. And ye shall smite every fortified city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all fountains of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones. And it came to pass, in the morning, about the time of offering the oblation, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water."

Some writers take the "scorched earth" policy of this war against Moab as being in direct violation of Deuteronomy 20:19-20, which forbade Israel to cut down the fruit trees of conquered enemies, but the allegation is false. As Rawlinson explained:

"That prohibition in Deuteronomy is limited to cases where the conquest of the country attacked, and its occupation by the conquerors is anticipated. The words are, `When thou shalt besiege a city ... thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them: FOR THOU MAYEST EAT OF THEM.'"[11]