1 A nd Jehoram son of Ahab hath reigned over Israel, in Samaria, in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigneth 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 a nd doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, only not like his father, and like his mother, and he turneth aside the standing-pillar of Baal that his father 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 o nly to the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that he caused Israel to sin he hath cleaved, he hath not turned aside from it.

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

4 A nd Mesha king of Moab was a sheep-master, and he rendered to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs, and a hundred thousand rams, wool,

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 a nd it cometh to pass at the death of Ahab, that the king of Moab transgresseth against the king of Israel.

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

6 A nd king Jehoram goeth out in that day from Samaria, and inspecteth all Israel,

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

7 a nd goeth and sendeth unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, saying, `The king of Moab hath transgressed against me; dost thou go with me unto Moab for battle?' and he saith, `I go up, as I, so thou; as my people, so thy people; as my horses, so thy 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 A nd he saith, `Where this -- the way we go up?' and he saith, `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 A nd the king of Israel goeth, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom, and they turn round the way seven days, and there hath been no water for the camp, and for the cattle that at their feet,

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 a nd the king of Israel saith, `Alas, for Jehovah hath called for these three kings, to give 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 A nd Jehoshaphat saith, `Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah, and we seek Jehovah by him?' And one of the servants of the king of Israel answereth and saith, `Here Elisha son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.'

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 A nd Jehoshaphat saith, `The word of Jehovah is with him;' and go down unto him do the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom.

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 A nd Elisha saith unto the king of Israel, `What -- to me and to thee? go unto the prophets of thy father, and unto the prophets of thy mother;' and the king of Israel saith to him, `Nay, for Jehovah hath called for these three kings to give 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 A nd Elisha saith, `Jehovah of Hosts liveth, before whom I have stood; for unless the face of Jehoshaphat king of Judah I am lifting up, I do not look unto thee, nor see thee;

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 a nd now, bring to me a minstrel; and it hath been, at the playing of the minstrel, that the hand of Jehovah is 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 a nd he saith, `Thus said Jehovah, Make this valley ditches -- ditches;

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

17 f or thus said Jehovah, Ye do not see wind, nor do ye see rain, and that valley is full of water, and ye have drunk -- ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.

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 ` And this hath been light in the eyes of Jehovah, and he hath given Moab into your hand,

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

19 a nd ye have smitten every fenced city, and every choice city, and every good tree ye cause to fall, and all fountains of waters ye stop, and every good portion ye mar 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 A nd it cometh to pass in the morning, at the ascending of the -present, that lo, waters are coming in from the way of Edom, and the land is filled with the waters,

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 a nd all Moab have heard that the kings have come up to fight against them, and they are called together, from every one girding on a girdle and upward, and they stand by 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 A nd they rise early in the morning, and the sun hath shone on the waters, and the Moabites see, from over-against, the waters 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 a nd say, `Blood this; the kings have been surely destroyed, and they smite each his neighbour; and now for spoil, Moab!'

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 A nd they come in unto the camp of Israel, and the Israelites rise, and smite the Moabites, and they flee from their face; and they enter into Moab, so as to smite Moab,

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 a nd the cities they break down, and every good portion they cast each his stone, and have filled it, and every fountain of water they stop, and every good tree they cause to fall -- till one had left its stones in Kir-Haraseth, and the slingers go round and smite 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 A nd the king of Moab seeth that the battle has been too strong for him, and he taketh with him seven hundred men, drawing sword, to cleave through unto the king of Edom, and they have not been able,

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 a nd he taketh his son, the first-born who reigneth in his stead, and causeth him to ascend -- a burnt-offering on the wall, and there is great wrath against Israel, and they journey from off him, and turn back to the 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.