1 ¶ Now Jehoram, the son of Ahab, began to reign over Israel in Samaria 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 A nd he did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not like his father and like his mother, for he put away the images 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 N evertheless, he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin; he did not depart 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 A nd Mesha, king of Moab, was a pastor and rendered unto the king of Israel one hundred thousand lambs and one hundred thousand 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 it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that 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 ¶ And King Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time and numbered all Israel.

King Jehoram 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 has 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.

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 A nd he said, Which way shall we go up? And he 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 and the king of Judah and the king of Edom, and as they walked round about seven days’ journey through the desert, there was no water for the host or for the beasts that followed 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 these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!

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 not a prophet of the LORD here, that we may enquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel’s slaves answered and said, Here is Elisha, the son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.

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 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.

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 T hen Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? Go to the prophets of thy father and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, No, for the LORD has 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 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 the hosts lives, 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 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 when the minstrel played, the hand of the LORD came upon him;

But now bring me a musician.” When the musician played, Yahweh’s hand came on him.

16 a nd he said, Thus hath the LORD said, Make this valley full of ditches.

He said, “Yahweh says, ‘Make this valley full of trenches.’

17 F or thus hath the LORD said, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet this valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye and your livestock and your beasts.

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 A nd this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD; he will also deliver the Moabites into your hands.

This is an easy thing in Yahweh’s sight. He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand.

19 A nd ye shall smite every fenced city and every choice city and shall fell every good tree and stop every fountain 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 ¶ And it came to pass in the morning, when the present was offered, that water came by the way of Edom, and the land 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 A nd when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to gird on a girdle and upward and stood in 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 A nd when they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water before 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 are surely slain, and they have smitten one another. Now therefore, 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, but they went forward smiting the Moabites, even in their country.

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 A nd they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land each man cast his stone and filled it, and they stopped all the fountains of water and felled all the good trees until they left their stones only in Kirharaseth, for the slingers went about it and smote 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 overcoming him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords to break through unto 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 that should have reigned in his stead and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation in Israel, and they departed from him 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.