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 began to reign over Israel in 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 that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, but not like his father, and like his mother, for he put away the pillar of Baal that 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 held to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin. He didn’t 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 he supplied the king of Israel with the wool of one hundred thousand lambs, and of one hundred thousand rams.

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

But when Ahab was dead, 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.

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.

He went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me against Moab to battle?” 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?” 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 marched for seven days along a circuitous route. There was no water for the army or for the animals 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!

The king of Israel said, “Alas! For Yahweh has called these three kings together to deliver 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, “Isn’t there a prophet of Yahweh here, that we may inquire of Yahweh by him?” One of the king of Israel’s servants answered, “Elisha the son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah, is here.”

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, “Yahweh’s word 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.

Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father, and to the prophets of your mother.” The king of Israel said to him, “No, for Yahweh has called these three kings together to deliver 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 Yahweh of Armies lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I respect the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward 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 musician.” When the musician played, Yahweh’s hand came on him.

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

He said, “Yahweh says, ‘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 Yahweh says, ‘You will not see wind, neither will you see rain, yet that valley will be filled with water, and you will drink, both you and your livestock and your other animals.

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 an easy thing in Yahweh’s sight. He will also deliver 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.

You shall strike every fortified city, and every choice city, and shall 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.

In the morning, about the time of offering the sacrifice, 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 when all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, they gathered themselves together, all who were able to put on armor, young and old, 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 up 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!

They said, “This is blood. The kings are surely destroyed, and they have struck each other. Now therefore, Moab, to the plunder!”

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.

When they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and struck the Moabites, so that they fled before them; and they went forward into the land attacking 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.

They beat down the cities; and on every good piece of land each man cast his stone, and filled it. They also stopped all the springs of water, and felled all the good trees, until in Kir Hareseth all they left was its stones; however the men armed with slings went around it, and attacked 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 severe for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew a sword, 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 would have reigned in his place, and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall. There was great wrath against Israel; and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.