| Christian Standard Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Joram son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria during the eighteenth year of Judah's King Jehoshaphat, and he reigned twelve years. | 1In the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah, Jehoram son of Ahab became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria twelve years. |
| 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. | 2And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as his father and mother had done. He removed the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made. |
| 3Nevertheless, Joram clung to the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit. He did not turn away from them. | 3Nevertheless, he clung to the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them. |
| 4King Mesha of Moab was a sheep breeder. He used to pay the king of Israel one hundred thousand lambs and the wool of one hundred thousand rams, | 4Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he would render to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams. |
| 5but when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. | 5But after the death of Ahab, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. |
| 6So King Joram marched out from Samaria at that time and mobilized all Israel. | 6So at that time King Jehoram set out from Samaria and mobilized all Israel. |
| 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." | 7And he sent a 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,” replied Jehoshaphat. “I am like you, my people are your people, and my horses are your horses.” |
| 8He asked, "Which route should we take?" He replied, "The route of the Wilderness of Edom." | 8Then he asked, “Which way shall we go up?” “By way of the Desert of Edom,” replied Joram. |
| 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 the animals with them. | 9So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom set out, and after they had traveled a roundabout route for seven days, they had no water for their army or for their animals. |
| 10Then the king of Israel said, "Oh no, the LORD has summoned these three kings, only to hand them over to Moab." | 10“Alas,” said the king of Israel, “for the LORD has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab!” |
| 11But Jehoshaphat said, "Isn't there a prophet of the LORD here? Let's inquire of the LORD 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." | 11But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the LORD here? Let us inquire of the LORD through him.” And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.” |
| 12Jehoshaphat affirmed, "The word of the LORD is with him." So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went to him. | 12Jehoshaphat affirmed, “The word of the LORD is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. |
| 13However, Elisha said to King Joram of Israel, "What do we have 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." | 13Elisha, however, said to the king of Israel, “What have we to do with each other? Go to the prophets of your father and of your mother!” “No,” replied the king of Israel, “for it is the LORD who has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab.” |
| 14Elisha responded, "By the life of the LORD of Armies, before whom I stand: If I did not have respect for King Jehoshaphat of Judah, I wouldn't look at you; I would not take notice of you. | 14Then Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not for my regard for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you or acknowledge you. |
| 15Now, bring me a musician." While the musician played, the LORD's hand came on Elisha. | 15But now, bring me a harpist.” And while the harpist played, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha |
| 16Then he said, "This is what the LORD says: 'Dig ditch after ditch in this wadi.' | 16and he said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Dig this valley full of ditches.’ |
| 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.' | 17For the LORD says, ‘You will not see wind or rain, but the valley will be filled with water, and you will drink—you and your cattle and your animals.’ |
| 18This is easy in the LORD's sight. He will also hand Moab over to you. | 18This is a simple matter in the sight of the LORD, and He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand. |
| 19Then you will attack every fortified city and every choice city. You will cut down every good tree and stop up every spring. You will ruin every good piece of land with stones." | 19And you shall attack every fortified city and every city of importance. You shall cut down every good tree, stop up every spring, and ruin every good field with stones.” |
| 20About the time for the grain offering the next morning, water suddenly came from the direction of Edom and filled the land. | 20The next morning, at the time of the morning sacrifice, water suddenly flowed from the direction of Edom and filled the land. |
| 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. | 21Now all the Moabites had heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. So all who could bear arms, young and old, were summoned and stationed at the border. |
| 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. | 22When they got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water, and it looked as red as blood to the Moabites across the way. |
| 23"This is blood!" they exclaimed. "The kings have crossed swords and their men have killed one another. So, to the spoil, Moab!" | 23“This is blood!” they exclaimed. “The kings have clashed swords and slaughtered one another. Now to the plunder, Moab!” |
| 24However, when the Moabites came to Israel's camp, the Israelites attacked them, and they fled from them. So Israel went into the land attacking the Moabites. | 24But when the Moabites came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and attacked them, and they fled before them. So the Israelites invaded their land and struck down the Moabites. |
| 25They would destroy the cities, and each of them would throw a stone to cover every good piece of land. They would stop up every spring and cut down every good tree. This went on until only the buildings of Kir-hareseth were left. Then men with slings surrounded the city and attacked it. | 25They destroyed the cities, and each man threw stones on every good field until it was covered. They stopped up every spring and cut down every good tree. Only Kir-haraseth was left with stones in place, but men with slings surrounded it and attacked it as well. |
| 26When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took seven hundred swordsmen with him to try to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not do it. | 26When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not prevail. |
| 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. | 27So he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him, and offered him as a burnt offering on the city wall. And there was great fury against the Israelites, so they withdrew and returned to their own land. |
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