| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1In the eighteenth year of King Jehoshaphat's reign over Judah, Ahab's son Jehoram became king over Israel in Samaria; he ruled for twelve years. | 1Joram son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years. |
| 2He did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not to the same degree as his father and mother. He did remove the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made. | 2He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, but not as his father and mother had done. He got rid of the sacred stone of Baal that his father had made. |
| 3Yet he persisted in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who encouraged Israel to sin; he did not turn from them. | 3Nevertheless he clung to the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them. |
| 4Now King Mesha of Moab was a sheep breeder. He would send as tribute to the king of Israel 100,000 male lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. | 4Now Mesha king of Moab raised sheep, and he had to pay the king of Israel a tribute of a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams. |
| 5When Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. | 5But after Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. |
| 6At that time King Jehoram left Samaria and assembled all Israel for war. | 6So at that time King Joram set out from Samaria and mobilized all Israel. |
| 7He sent this message to King Jehoshaphat of Judah: "The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you fight with me against Moab?" Jehoshaphat replied, "I will join you in the campaign; my army and horses are at your disposal." | 7He also sent this message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: "The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?" "I will go with you," he replied. "I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses." |
| 8He then asked, "Which invasion route are we going to take?" Jehoram answered, "By the road through the Desert of Edom." | 8"By what route shall we attack?" he asked. "Through the Desert of Edom," he answered. |
| 9So the kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom set out together. They wandered around on the road for seven days and finally ran out of water for the men and animals they had with them. | 9So the king of Israel set out with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. After a roundabout march of seven days, the army had no more water for themselves or for the animals with them. |
| 10The king of Israel said, "Oh no! Certainly the LORD has summoned these three kings so that he can hand them over to the king of Moab!" | 10"What!" exclaimed the king of Israel. "Has the LORD called us three kings together only to deliver us into the hands of Moab?" |
| 11Jehoshaphat asked, "Is there no prophet of the LORD here that we might seek the LORD's direction?" One of the servants of the king of Israel answered, "Elisha son of Shapat is here; he used to be Elijah's servant." | 11But Jehoshaphat asked, "Is there no prophet of the LORD here, through whom we may inquire of the LORD?" An officer of the king of Israel answered, "Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah." |
| 12Jehoshaphat said, "The LORD speaks through him." So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to visit him. | 12Jehoshaphat 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. |
| 13Elisha said to the king of Israel, "Why are you here? Go to your father's prophets or your mother's prophets!" The king of Israel replied to him, "No, for the LORD is the one who summoned these three kings so that he can hand them over to Moab." | 13Elisha said to the king of Israel, "Why do you want to involve me? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother." "No," the king of Israel answered, "because it was the LORD who called us three kings together to deliver us into the hands of Moab." |
| 14Elisha said, "As certainly as the LORD who rules over all lives (whom I serve), if I did not respect King Jehoshaphat of Judah, I would not pay attention to you or acknowledge you. | 14Elisha said, "As surely as the LORD Almighty lives, whom I serve, if I did not have respect for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not pay any attention to you. |
| 15But now, get me a musician." When the musician played, the LORD energized him, | 15But now bring me a harpist." While the harpist was playing, the hand of the LORD came on Elisha |
| 16and he said, "This is what the LORD says, 'Make many cisterns in this valley,' | 16and he said, "This is what the LORD says: I will fill this valley with pools of water. |
| 17for this is what the LORD says, 'You will not feel any wind or see any rain, but this valley will be full of water and you and your cattle and animals will drink.' | 17For this is what the LORD says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. |
| 18This is an easy task for the LORD; he will also hand Moab over to you. | 18This is an easy thing in the eyes of the LORD; he will also deliver Moab into your hands. |
| 19You will defeat every fortified city and every important city. You must chop down every productive tree, stop up all the springs, and cover all the cultivated land with stones." | 19You will overthrow every fortified city and every major town. You will cut down every good tree, stop up all the springs, and ruin every good field with stones." |
| 20Sure enough, the next morning, at the time of the morning sacrifice, water came flowing down from Edom and filled the land. | 20The next morning, about the time for offering the sacrifice, there it was--water flowing from the direction of Edom! And the land was filled with water. |
| 21Now all Moab had heard that the kings were attacking, so everyone old enough to fight was mustered and placed at the border. | 21Now all the Moabites had heard that the kings had come to fight against them; so every man, young and old, who could bear arms was called up and stationed on the border. |
| 22When they got up early the next morning, the sun was shining on the water. To the Moabites, who were some distance away, the water looked red like blood. | 22When they got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water. To the Moabites across the way, the water looked red--like blood. |
| 23The Moabites said, "It's blood! The kings are totally destroyed! They have struck one another down! Now, Moab, seize the plunder!" | 23"That's blood!" they said. "Those kings must have fought and slaughtered each other. Now to the plunder, Moab!" |
| 24When they approached the Israelite camp, the Israelites rose up and struck down the Moabites, who then ran from them. The Israelites thoroughly defeated Moab. | 24But when the Moabites came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and fought them until they fled. And the Israelites invaded the land and slaughtered the Moabites. |
| 25They tore down the cities and each man threw a stone into every cultivated field until they were covered. They stopped up every spring and chopped down every productive tree. Only Kir Hareseth was left intact, but the slingers surrounded it and attacked it. | 25They destroyed the towns, and each man threw a stone on every good field until it was covered. They stopped up all the springs and cut down every good tree. Only Kir Hareseth was left with its stones in place, but men armed with slings surrounded it and attacked it. |
| 26When the king of Moab realized he was losing the battle, he and 700 swordsmen tried to break through and attack the king of Edom, but they failed. | 26When the king of Moab saw that the battle had gone against him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom, but they failed. |
| 27So he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him as king, and offered him up as a burnt sacrifice on the wall. There was an outburst of divine anger against Israel, so they broke off the attack and returned to their homeland. | 27Then he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him as king, and offered him as a sacrifice on the city wall. The fury against Israel was great; they withdrew and returned to their own land. |
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