¶ Now Jehoram¹ the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.

And he wrought³ evil in the sight of the LORD; but not⁵ like his father, and like⁶ his mother: for he put away the image⁷ of Baal that his father had made.

Nevertheless he cleaved⁸ unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made¹⁰ Israel to sin; he departed¹¹ not therefrom.

And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster¹², and rendered¹³ unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs¹⁴, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool.

¹⁵But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

¶ And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered¹⁶ all Israel.

And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go¹⁷ 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.

And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom¹⁸.

So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom¹⁹: and they fetched a compass of seven days' journey: and there was no water²⁰ for the host, and for the cattle that followed them²¹.

¶ And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the LORD²² hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!

But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here²³ a prophet of the LORD, that we may²⁴ enquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water²⁵ on the hands of Elijah.

And Jehoshaphat said, The word²⁶ of the LORD is with him. So the king of Israel²⁷ and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What²⁸ have I to do with thee? get²⁹ thee to the prophets³⁰ of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay:³¹ for the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.

And Elisha said, As the LORD³² of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard³³ the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look³⁴ toward thee, nor see thee.

But now bring me³⁵ a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand³⁶ of the LORD came upon him.

And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley³⁷ full of ditches.

For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not³⁸ see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may³⁹ drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.

And this⁴⁰ is but a light⁴¹ thing in the sight of the LORD: he will⁴² deliver the Moabites also into your hand.

And ye⁴³ shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell⁴⁴ every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar⁴⁵ every good piece of land with stones.

¶ And it came to pass in the morning, when the meat⁴⁶ offering was offered, that, behold, there came water⁴⁷ by the way of Edom, and the country was filled⁴⁸ with water.

And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered⁴⁹ all that were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood in the border.

And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood:

And they said, This is blood⁵⁰: the kings are surely slain⁵¹, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.

And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the⁵² Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward⁵³ smiting the Moabites, even in their country.

And they beat down⁵⁴ the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped⁵⁵ all the wells of water, and felled⁵⁶ all the good trees: only in⁵⁷ Kirharaseth left they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it.

And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through even unto the king of Edom⁵⁹: but they could not.

Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him⁶⁰ for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed⁶¹ from him, and returned to their own land.