| English Standard Version | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1In the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned twelve years. | 1Joram son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria during the eighteenth year of Judah's King Jehoshaphat, and he reigned twelve years. |
| 2He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, though not like his father and mother, for he put away the 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 clung to the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin; he did not depart from it. | 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 sheep breeder, and he had to deliver to the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. | 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, |
| 5But when Ahab died, 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 marched out of Samaria at that time and mustered all Israel. | 6So King Joram marched out from Samaria at that time and mobilized all Israel. |
| 7And he went and sent word to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to battle against Moab?” And he said, “I will go. 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, “By which way shall we march?” Jehoram answered, “By the way of the wilderness of Edom.” | 8He asked, "Which route should we take?" He 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 when they had made a circuitous march of seven days, there was no water for the army or 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 the animals with them. |
| 10Then the king of Israel said, “Alas! The LORD has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.” | 10Then the king of Israel said, "Oh no, the LORD has summoned these three kings, only to hand them over to Moab." |
| 11And Jehoshaphat said, “Is there no prophet of the LORD here, through whom we may inquire of the LORD?” Then one of the king of Israel’s servants answered, “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 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." |
| 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 word of the LORD is with him." So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went to him. |
| 13And Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother.” But the king of Israel said to him, “No; it is the LORD who has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.” | 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." |
| 14And Elisha said, “As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not that I have regard for Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would neither look at you nor see you. | 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. |
| 15But now bring me a musician.” And when the musician played, 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, ‘I will make this dry streambed full of pools.’ | 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 or rain, but that streambed shall be filled with water, so that you shall drink, you, your livestock, and your animals.’ | 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.' |
| 18This is a light thing in the sight of the LORD. He will also give the Moabites into your hand, | 18This is easy in the LORD's sight. He will also hand Moab over to you. |
| 19and you shall attack every fortified city and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree and stop up all springs of water and ruin every good piece of land with stones.” | 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." |
| 20The next morning, about the time of offering the sacrifice, behold, water came from the direction of Edom, till the country 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. |
| 21When all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, all who were able to put on armor, from the youngest to the oldest, were called out and were drawn up 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. |
| 22And when they rose early in the morning and the sun shone on the water, the Moabites saw the water opposite them 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 fought together and struck one another down. Now then, Moab, to the spoil!” | 23"This is blood!" they exclaimed. "The kings have crossed swords and their men have killed one another. So, to the spoil, Moab!" |
| 24But when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose and struck the Moabites, till they fled before them. And they went forward, striking the Moabites as they went. | 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. |
| 25And they overthrew the cities, and on every good piece of land every man threw a stone until it was covered. They stopped every spring of water and felled all the good trees, till only its stones were left in Kir-hareseth, and the slingers surrounded and attacked it. | 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. |
| 26When the king of Moab saw that the battle was going against him, he took with him 700 swordsmen to break through, opposite the king of Edom, but they could not. | 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. |
| 27Then he took his oldest son who was to reign in his place and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall. And there came great wrath against Israel. And they withdrew 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. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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