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.

Ahab’s son Jehoram became the king of Israel at Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah. He ruled for twelve years.

2 H e 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.

Jehoram 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.

3 N evertheless he held to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin. He didn’t depart from them.

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

4 N ow 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.

Now 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.

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

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

6 K ing Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time, and mustered all Israel.

So King Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time and called all Israel together.

7 H e 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.”

Then 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.”

8 H e said, “Which way shall we go up?” He answered, “The way of the wilderness of Edom.”

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

9 S o 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.

So 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.

10 T he king of Israel said, “Alas! For Yahweh has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”

The king of Israel said, “It is bad! For the Lord has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.”

11 B ut 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.”

But 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.”

12 J ehoshaphat said, “Yahweh’s word is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

And 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 E lisha 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.”

Elisha 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.”

14 E lisha 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.

Elisha 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.

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

But now bring me a man who plays music.” And when the man played music, the power of the Lord came upon Elisha.

16 H e said, “Yahweh says, ‘Make this valley full of trenches.’

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

17 F or 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.

For 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.’

18 T his is an easy thing in Yahweh’s sight. He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand.

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

19 Y ou 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.’”

Then 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.”

20 I n the morning, about the time of offering the sacrifice, behold, water came by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.

The 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.

21 N ow 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.

Now 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.

22 T hey 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.

They 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.

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

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

24 W hen 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.

But 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.

25 T hey 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.

So 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.

26 W hen 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.

The 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.

27 T hen 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.

Then 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.