| Holman Christian Standard Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Joram son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria during the eighteenth year of Judah's King Jehoshaphat and reigned 12 years. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 3Nevertheless, Joram clung to the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit. He did not turn away from them. | 3Yet he persisted in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who encouraged Israel to sin; he did not turn from them. |
| 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, | 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. |
| 5but when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. | 5When Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. |
| 6So King Joram marched out from Samaria at that time and mobilized all Israel. | 6At that time King Jehoram left Samaria and assembled all Israel for war. |
| 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." | 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." |
| 8Then he asked, "Which route should we take?" Joram replied, "The route of the Wilderness of Edom." | 8He then asked, "Which invasion route are we going to take?" Jehoram answered, "By the road through the Desert of Edom." |
| 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. | 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. |
| 10Then the king of Israel said, "Oh no, the LORD has summoned three kings, only to hand them over to Moab." | 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!" |
| 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." | 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." |
| 12Jehoshaphat affirmed, "The LORD's words are with him." So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went to him. | 12Jehoshaphat said, "The LORD speaks through him." So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to visit him. |
| 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." | 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." |
| 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. | 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. |
| 15Now, bring me a musician." While the musician played, the LORD's hand came on Elisha. | 15But now, get me a musician." When the musician played, the LORD energized him, |
| 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, 'Make many cisterns in this valley,' |
| 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 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.' |
| 18This is easy in the LORD's sight. He will also hand Moab over to you. | 18This is an easy task for the LORD; he will also hand Moab over to you. |
| 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." | 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." |
| 20About the time for the grain offering the next morning, water suddenly came from the direction of Edom and filled the land. | 20Sure enough, the next morning, at the time of the morning sacrifice, water came flowing down from 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 Moab had heard that the kings were attacking, so everyone old enough to fight was mustered and placed 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 the next morning, the sun was shining on the water. To the Moabites, who were some distance away, the water looked red like blood. |
| 23This is blood!" they exclaimed. "The kings have clashed swords and killed each other. So, to the spoil, Moab!" | 23The Moabites said, "It's blood! The kings are totally destroyed! They have struck one another down! Now, Moab, seize the plunder!" |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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 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. |
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