1
Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenthyear of Jehoshaphatking of Judah, and reignedtwelveyears.
2
And he wroughtevil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made.
3
Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.
4
And Meshaking of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundredthousandlambs, and an hundredthousandrams, with the wool.
5
But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moabrebelled against the king of Israel.
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And kingJehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel.
7
And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I will goup: I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses.
8
And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom.
9
So the king of Israelwent, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of sevendays' journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them.
10
And the king of Israelsaid, Alas! that the LORD hath called these threekingstogether, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!
11
But Jehoshaphatsaid, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may enquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel's servantsanswered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which pouredwater on the hands of Elijah.
12
And Jehoshaphatsaid, The word of the LORDis with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
13
And Elishasaid unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israelsaid unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath called these threekingstogether, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.
14
And Elishasaid, As the LORD of hostsliveth, 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.
15
But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrelplayed, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.
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And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches.
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For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not seewind, neither shall ye seerain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.
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And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.
19
And ye shall smite every fencedcity, and every choicecity, and shall fell every goodtree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every goodpiece of land with stones.
20
And it came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was offered, that, behold, there camewater by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.
21
And when all the Moabitesheard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood in the border.
22
And they rose up early in the morning, and the sunshone upon the water, and the Moabitessaw the water on the other side as red as blood:
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And they said, This is blood: the kings are surelyslain, and they have smittenoneanother: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.
24
And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fledbefore them: but they went forwardsmiting the Moabites, even in their country.
25
And they beat down the cities, and on every goodpiece of land cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the goodtrees: only in Kirharasethleft they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it.
26
And when the king of Moabsaw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him sevenhundredmen that drewswords, to break through even unto the king of Edom: but they could not.
27
Then he took his eldestson that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was greatindignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.