1 A hab’s son Jehoram became the king of Israel at Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah. He ruled for 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 J ehoram 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.

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

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

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

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

6 S o King Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time and called all Israel together.

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

7 T hen 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.”

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

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 T he king of Israel said, “It is bad! For the Lord has called these three kings to give 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 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.”

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 the Lord 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 E lisha 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.”

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 E lisha 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.

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 man who plays music.” And when the man played music, the power of the Lord came upon Elisha.

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

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

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

17 F or 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.’

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

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

19 T hen 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.”

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 T he 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.

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 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.

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 T hey 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.

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

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

24 B ut 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.

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 S o 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.

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 T he 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.

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 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.

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.