¶ Iehoram the son of Ahab began to reign upon Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Iehosaphat king of Iuda, and continued twelve years.
And he wrought that was evil in the sight of the LORD: but not like his father or his mother, for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made.
Nevertheless he continued in the sin of Ieroboam the son of Nabat which made Israel sin, and shrank not therefrom.
And Mesa king of Moab which was rich of sheep (and was wont to render unto the king of Israel an hundredth thousand lambs and as many rams with the wool)
rebelled against the king of Israel after the death of Ahab.
¶ And king Iehoram went out of Samaria the same season, and numbered all Israel.
And then went and sent to Iehosaphat king of Iuda saying: the king of Moab hath rebelled against me, wilt thou go with me against the Moabites to battle? And he said: I will go, and will be as thou, and my people shall be as thine, and my horses as thine.
And he said: what way shall we go? And the other answered: the way thorow the wilderness of Edom.
And the king of Israel took his journey with the king of Iuda and the king of Edom. And when they had compassed the way seven days, there was no water for the host nor for the cattle that they had with them.
Then said the king of Israel: Alas, the LORD hath called together these three kings to deliver them into the hands of the Moabites.
But Iehosaphat said: is there here no prophet of the LORD's, that we may enquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said: here is Eliseus the son of Saphat which poured water on the hands of Eliah. And Iehosaphat said:
the word of the LORD is with him. And so the king of Israel, and Iehosaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
And Eliseus said to the king of Israel: what have I to do with thee? Get thee to the prophets of thy father and of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him: Oh nay, but hath the LORD called these three kings to deliver them into the hands of the Moabites?
And Eliseus said, as sure as the LORD of Hosts liveth (in whose sight I stond) and it were not that I regard the presence of Iehosaphat the king of Iuda, I would not look toward thee, nor yet see ye.
But now bring me a minstrel. And as the minstrel played, the hand of the LORD was upon him.
And he said: thus biddeth the LORD, make this brook full of ditches.
For thus sayeth the LORD: ye shall see neither wind nor rain, and yet this brook shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, and your beasts and your cattle also.
And this is yet but a small thing in the sight of the LORD: But he will give the Moabites into your hands also.
And ye shall destroy all strong towns and all goodly cities, and shall fall all pleasant trees and stop all the wells of water, and mar all good plots of ground with stones.
¶ And in the morning about offering time: there came such a water that way from Edom that the country was filled with water.
And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come to fight against them, they gathered together, from the youngest that was able to put on harness and so upward, and waited in the borders.
And they being up early in the morning, the son arose and shone upon the water. And when the Moabites saw the water afar off, as red as blood,
they said: it is blood, the kings have fought together and one slain another. Now therefore ye Moabites get you to the spoil.
And when they came to the Host of Israel, the Israelites stood up and laid on the Moabites, that they fled before them: And so they entered the land and destroyed the Moabites.
And they overthrew the cities, and on every good parcel of land, cast every man his stone and over covered it, and stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees. And as long as the stones thereof did remain in the walls of Brick the slingers went upon it and beat it.
And when the king of Moab saw, that the battle was so strong for him, he took with him seven hundredth men that drew the sword, to have broken up unto the king of Edom. But they could not.
And then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the walls. And there came so great wrath upon Israel, that they departed from him and returned to their own land.
Praise the Everlasting Lord for His Faithful Word.