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

Now Jehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel at Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.

2 H e did evil in the sight of the Lord, but not like his father and mother; for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made.

He did evil in the sight of the Lord, though not like his father and his mother; for he put away the sacred pillar of Baal which his father had made.

3 Y et he clung to the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not from them.

Nevertheless, he clung to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin; he did not depart from them.

4 M esha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and paid in tribute to the king of Israel 100, 000 lambs and 100, 000 rams, with the wool.

Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and used to pay the king of Israel 100, 000 lambs and the wool of 100, 000 rams.

5 B ut when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

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

6 S o King Joram went out of Samaria at that time and mustered all Israel.

And King Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time and mustered all Israel.

7 A nd he sent to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to war against Moab? And he said, I will go; I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.

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

8 J oram said, Which way shall we go up? Jehoshaphat answered, The way through the Wilderness of Edom.

He said, “Which way shall we go up?” And he answered, “The way of the wilderness of Edom.”

9 S o the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. They made a circuit of seven days’ journey, but there was no water for the army or for the animals following them.

So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom; and they made a circuit of seven days’ journey, and there was no water for the army or for the cattle that followed them.

10 T hen the king of Israel said, Alas! The Lord has called three kings together to be delivered into Moab’s hand!

Then the king of Israel said, “Alas! For the Lord has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.”

11 B ut Jehoshaphat said, Is there no prophet of the Lord here by whom we may inquire of the Lord? One of the king of Israel’s servants answered, Elisha son of Shaphat, who served Elijah, is here.

But Jehoshaphat said, “ Is there not a prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of the Lord by him?” And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, “ Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.”

12 J ehoshaphat said, The word of the Lord is with him. So Joram king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to Elisha.

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 to the king of Israel, What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father Ahab and your mother Jezebel. But the king of Israel said to him, No, for the Lord has called three kings together to be delivered into the hand of Moab.

Now Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What do I have to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother.” And the king of Israel said to him, “No, for the Lord has called these three kings together to give them into the hand of Moab.”

14 A nd Elisha said, As the Lord of hosts lives, before Whom I stand, surely, were it not that I respect the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would neither look at you nor see you.

Elisha said, “ As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look at you nor see you.

15 B ut now bring me a minstrel. And while the minstrel played, the hand and power of the Lord came upon.

But now bring me a minstrel.” And it came about, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him.

16 A nd he said, Thus says the Lord: Make this brook bed full of trenches.

He said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Make this valley full of trenches.’

17 F or thus says the Lord: You shall not see wind or rain, yet that ravine shall be filled with water, so you, your cattle, and your beasts may drink.

For thus says the Lord, ‘You shall not see wind nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you shall drink, both you and your cattle and your beasts.

18 T his is but a light thing in the sight of the Lord. He will deliver the Moabites also into your hands.

This is but a slight thing in the sight of the Lord; He will also give the Moabites into your hand.

19 Y ou 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 shall strike every fortified city and every choice city, and fell every good tree and stop all springs of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.’”

20 I n the morning, when the sacrifice was offered, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.

It happened in the morning about the time of offering the sacrifice, that behold, water came by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.

21 W hen all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, all who were able to put on armor, young and old, gathered and drew up at the border.

Now all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. And all who were able to put on armor and older were summoned and stood on the border.

22 W hen they rose up early next morning, and the sun shone upon the water, the Moabites saw the water across from them as red as blood.

They rose early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood.

23 A nd they said, This is blood; the kings have surely been fighting and have slain one another. Now then, Moab, to the spoil!

Then they said, “This is blood; the kings have surely fought together, and they have slain one another. Now therefore, Moab, to the spoil!”

24 B ut when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them. And they went forward, slaying the Moabites as they went.

But when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites arose and struck the Moabites, so that they fled before them; and they went forward into the land, slaughtering the Moabites.

25 T hey beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land every man cast a stone, covering it. And they stopped all the springs of water and felled all the good trees, until only the stones of Kir-hareseth were left standing, and the slingers surrounded and took it.

Thus they destroyed the cities; and each one threw a stone on every piece of good land and filled it. So they stopped all the springs of water and felled all the good trees, until in Kir-hareseth only they left its stones; however, the slingers went about it and struck it.

26 A nd when the king of Moab saw that the battle was against him, he took with him 700 swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not.

When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him 700 men who drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not.

27 T hen he took his eldest son, who was to reign in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall. And there was great indignation, wrath, and bitterness against Israel; and they withdrew from and returned to their own land.

Then he took his oldest son who was to reign in his place, and offered him as a burnt offering on the wall. And there came great wrath against Israel, and they departed from him and returned to their own land.