1 N ow 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.

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

2 A nd he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, but not like his father, and like his mother; for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made.

He 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.

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

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

4 N ow Mesha king of Moab was a sheep-master; and he rendered unto the king of Israel the wool of a hundred thousand lambs, and of a hundred thousand rams.

Mesha 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.

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 rebelled against the king of Israel.

6 A nd king Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time, and mustered all Israel.

So King Joram went out of Samaria at that time and mustered all Israel.

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, my horses as thy horses.

And 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.

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

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

9 S o the king of Israel went, and 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 host, nor for the beasts that followed them.

So 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.

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

Then the king of Israel said, Alas! The Lord has called three kings together to be delivered into Moab’s hand!

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

But 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.

12 A nd Jehoshaphat said, The word of Jehovah is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

Jehoshaphat 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.

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 Jehovah hath called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.

And 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.

14 A nd Elisha said, As Jehovah 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.

And 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.

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

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

16 A nd he said, Thus saith Jehovah, Make this valley full of trenches.

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

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

For 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.

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

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

19 A nd 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.

You 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.

20 A nd 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.

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

21 N ow when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered themselves together, all that were able to put on armor, and upward, and stood on the border.

When 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.

22 A nd they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water over against them as red as blood:

When 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.

23 a nd they said, This is blood; the kings are surely destroyed, and they have smitten each man his fellow: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.

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

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; and they went forward into the land smiting the Moabites.

But 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.

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

They 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.

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 sword, to break through unto the king of Edom; but they could not.

And 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.

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 wrath against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.

Then 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.