1 N ow Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.

Ahab’s son Jehoram became the king of Israel at Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah. He ruled for twelve years.

2 A nd he wrought evil in the sight of the Lord; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made.

Jehoram did what was bad in the eyes of the Lord, but not like his father and mother. For he put away the object of Baal which his father had made.

3 N evertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.

But he held on to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel sin. He did not leave them.

4 A nd Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool.

Now Mesha king of Moab raised sheep. He had to pay the king of Israel 100, 000 lambs and the wool of 100, 000 rams each year.

5 B ut it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

But when Ahab died, the king of Moab turned against the king of Israel.

6 A nd king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel.

So King Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time and called all Israel together.

7 A nd he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses.

Then he went and sent word to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has turned against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?” And Jehoshaphat said, “I will go. I am as you are. My people are as your people. My horses are as your horses.”

8 A nd he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom.

Then he said, “Which way should we go?” And he answered, “By the way of the desert of Edom.”

9 S o the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days’ journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them.

So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. They traveled around for seven days, but there was no water for the army or the cattle that followed them.

10 A nd the king of Israel said, Alas! that the Lord hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!

The king of Israel said, “It is bad! For the Lord has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.”

11 B ut Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we may enquire of the Lord by him? And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah.

But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not a man who speaks for God here? Is there no one we can ask to learn what the Lord would have us do?” One of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here. He poured water on the hands of Elijah.”

12 A nd 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.

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.

13 A nd Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the Lord hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.

Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What have I to do with you? Go to the men who tell what will happen in the future that your father and mother have gone to.” And the king of Israel said to him, “No. It is the Lord Who has called these three kings together to give them into the hand of Moab.”

14 A nd Elisha said, As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.

Elisha said, “As the Lord of all lives, before Whom I stand, if I did not care for Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look at you or see you.

15 B ut now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him.

But now bring me a man who plays music.” And when the man played music, the power of the Lord came upon Elisha.

16 A nd he said, Thus saith the Lord, Make this valley full of ditches.

He said, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Make this valley full of ditches.’

17 F or thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.

For the Lord says, ‘You will not see wind or rain. But that valley will be filled with water so that you and your cattle and your animals will drink.’

18 A nd this is but a light thing in the sight of the Lord: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.

This is only a small thing in the eyes of the Lord. He will give you the Moabites also.

19 A nd ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.

Then you will destroy every strong city and cut down every good tree. You will close all the wells of water, and destroy every good piece of land with stones.”

20 A nd it came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was offered, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.

The next morning, about the time when the gift is given on the altar, water came by the way of Edom. The country was filled with water.

21 A nd when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood in the border.

Now all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. All who were able to wear battle-clothes, young and old, were called together. And they stood at the side of the land of Moab.

22 A nd they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood:

They got up early in the morning. The sun was shining on the water. And the Moabites saw that the water beside them was as red as blood.

23 a nd they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.

They said, “This is blood. For sure the kings have fought and killed one another. So now, Moab, let us take what is left!”

24 A nd when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward smiting the Moabites, even in their country.

But when they came to the tents of Israel, the Israelites came and fought against the Moabites. The Moabites ran from them. And Israel went on into the land, killing the Moabites.

25 A nd they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees: only in Kir-haraseth left they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it.

So they destroyed the cities. Each man threw a stone on every piece of good land until it was covered. They closed all the wells of water and cut down all the good trees. Only the stones of Kir-hareseth were left standing. But the stone-throwers went around it and fought against it.

26 A nd when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through even unto the king of Edom: but they could not.

The king of Moab saw that the battle was too hard for him. So he took with him 700 men who used the sword, to break through to the king of Edom. But they could not.

27 T hen he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.

Then he took his oldest son who was to rule in his place, and gave him as a burnt gift on the wall. And many became very angry toward Israel. They left him and returned to their own land.