Why Elisha Let Israel Cut Down Moab's Trees

Another interpretation of "Harass the Midianites" (Numbers 25:17): Since I wrote, "When you besiege a city... you shall not destroy its trees" (Deuteronomy 20:19), to these you shall not do so; rather, lay waste to their trees. And so you find when Joram king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah and the king of Edom went to fight against Moab, "and they made a circuit of seven days' journey, and there was no water for the camp, and for the cattle that followed them" (II Kings 3:9). They began to weep. "And the king of Israel said, Alas! for the LORD has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab" (II Kings 3:10). Jehoshaphat answered, "Is there not here a prophet of the LORD..." (II Kings 3:11), "And one said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah" (ibid.) — to make known the wickedness of Joram, that he did not acknowledge him. "And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the LORD is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him" (II Kings 3:12). Why is Jehoshaphat not called "king" here? To make known the humility of that righteous man, who did not wish to go down before the prophet in royal garments, but as a commoner. And some say: because a decree had been decreed that he would be slain with Ahab, and Scripture counts to his son from that hour; therefore "king" was not written. And as a reward for going down before the prophet, they merited to see all those miracles. "And Elisha said to the king of Israel, What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father..." (II Kings 3:13). He began to plead before him; he said to him, "Nay; for the LORD has called..." (ibid.). "And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah..." (II Kings 3:14). "And now bring me a musician..." For thus says the LORD: "You shall not see wind, neither shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water..." (II Kings 3:15-17) — that which they needed. And further he said to them, "And he will deliver Moab into your hand. And you shall smite every fortified city and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water" (II Kings 3:18-19). They said to him: But it is written, "You shall not destroy its trees" (Deuteronomy 20:19), and you say this? He said to them: He commanded concerning the other nations, but this one is despised and contemptible, as it is said, "And this is but a light thing in the eyes of the LORD: he will deliver Moab also into your hand" (II Kings 3:18); and it is written, "You shall not seek their peace nor their prosperity" (Deuteronomy 23:7) — these are the good trees. Therefore it is said, "Harass the Midianites" (Numbers 25:17).