| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now Jehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel at Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. | 1Joram son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria during the eighteenth year of Judah's King Jehoshaphat and reigned 12 years. |
| 2And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not like his father and mother; for he put away the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made. | 2He did what was evil in the LORD's sight, but not like his father and mother, for he removed the sacred pillar of Baal his father had made. |
| 3Nevertheless he persisted in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin; he did not depart from them. | 3Nevertheless, Joram clung to the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit. He did not turn away from them. |
| 4Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheepbreeder, and he regularly paid the king of Israel one hundred thousand lambs and the wool of one hundred thousand rams. | 4King Mesha of Moab was a sheep breeder. He used to pay the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams, |
| 5But it happened, when Ahab died, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. | 5but when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. |
| 6So King Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time and mustered all Israel. | 6So King Joram marched out from Samaria at that time and mobilized all Israel. |
| 7Then he went and sent to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?” And he said, “I will go up; I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” | 7Then he sent a message to King Jehoshaphat of Judah: "The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?" Jehoshaphat said, "I will go. I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses." |
| 8Then he said, “Which way shall we go up?” And he answered, “By way of the Wilderness of Edom.” | 8Then he asked, "Which route should we take?" Joram replied, "The route of the Wilderness of Edom." |
| 9So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom, and they marched on that roundabout route seven days; and there was no water for the army, nor for the animals that followed them. | 9So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom set out. After they had traveled their indirect route for seven days, they had no water for the army or their animals. |
| 10And the king of Israel said, “Alas! For the LORD has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.” | 10Then the king of Israel said, "Oh no, the LORD has summoned three kings, only to hand them over to Moab." |
| 11But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there no prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of the LORD by him?” So one of the servants of the king of Israel answered and said, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.” | 11But Jehoshaphat said, "Isn't there a prophet of the LORD here? Let's inquire of Yahweh through him." One of the servants of the king of Israel answered, "Elisha son of Shaphat, who used to pour water on Elijah's hands, is here." |
| 12And 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. | 12Jehoshaphat affirmed, "The LORD's words are with him." So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went to him. |
| 13Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother.” But the king of Israel said to him, “No, for the LORD has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.” | 13However, Elisha said to King Joram of Israel, "We have nothing in common. Go to the prophets of your father and your mother!" But the king of Israel replied, "No, because it is the LORD who has summoned these three kings to hand them over to Moab." |
| 14And Elisha said, “As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you, nor see you. | 14Elisha responded, "As the LORD of Hosts lives, I stand before Him. If I did not have respect for King Jehoshaphat of Judah, I would not look at you; I wouldn't take notice of you. |
| 15But now bring me a musician.” Then it happened, when the musician played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him. | 15Now, bring me a musician." While the musician played, the LORD's hand came on Elisha. |
| 16And he said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Make this valley full of ditches.’ | 16Then he said, "This is what the LORD says: 'Dig ditch after ditch in this wadi.' |
| 17For thus says the LORD: ‘You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your animals may drink.’ | 17For the LORD says, 'You will not see wind or rain, but the wadi will be filled with water, and you will drink--you and your cattle and your animals.' |
| 18And this is a simple matter in the sight of the LORD; He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand. | 18This is easy in the LORD's sight. He will also hand Moab over to you. |
| 19Also you shall attack every fortified city and every choice city, and shall cut down every good tree, and stop up every spring of water, and ruin every good piece of land with stones.” | 19Then you must attack every fortified city and every choice city. You must cut down every good tree and stop up every spring of water. You must ruin every good piece of land with stones." |
| 20Now it happened in the morning, when the grain offering was offered, that suddenly water came by way of Edom, and the land was filled with water. | 20About the time for the grain offering the next morning, water suddenly came from the direction of Edom and filled the land. |
| 21And when all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, all who were able to bear arms and older were gathered; and they stood at the border. | 21All Moab had heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. So all who could bear arms, from the youngest to the oldest, were summoned and took their stand at the border. |
| 22Then they rose up early in the morning, and the sun was shining on the water; and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood. | 22When they got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water, and the Moabites saw that the water across from them was red like blood." |
| 23And they said, “This is blood; the kings have surely struck swords and have killed one another; now therefore, Moab, to the spoil!” | 23This is blood!" they exclaimed. "The kings have clashed swords and killed each other. So, to the spoil, Moab!" |
| 24So when they came to the camp of Israel, Israel rose up and attacked the Moabites, so that they fled before them; and they entered their land, killing the Moabites. | 24However, when the Moabites came to Israel's camp, the Israelites attacked them, and they fled from them. So Israel went into the land and struck down the Moabites. |
| 25Then they destroyed the cities, and each man threw a stone on every good piece of land and filled it; and they stopped up all the springs of water and cut down all the good trees. But they left the stones of Kir Haraseth intact. However the slingers surrounded and attacked it. | 25They destroyed the cities, and each of them threw stones to cover every good piece of land. They stopped up every spring of water and cut down every good tree. In the end, only the buildings of Kir-hareseth were left. Then men with slings surrounded the city and attacked it. |
| 26And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not. | 26When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took 700 swordsmen with him to try to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not do it. |
| 27Then he took his eldest son who would have reigned in his place, and offered him as a burnt offering upon the wall; and there was great indignation against Israel. So they departed from him and returned to their own land. | 27So he took his firstborn son, who was to become king in his place, and offered him as a burnt offering on the city wall. Great wrath was on the Israelites, and they withdrew from him and returned to their land. |
|
