1Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah , and reigned twelve years . 2And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah , but not like his father, and like his mother; for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made . 3Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat , wherewith he made Israel to sin ; he departed not therefrom. 4Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep-master; and he rendered unto the king of Israel the wool of a hundred thousand lambs , and of a hundred thousand rams . 5But it came to pass , when Ahab was dead , that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel . 6And king Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time , and mustered all Israel . 7And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah , saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against me : wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle ? And he said, I will go up : I am as thou art, my people as thy people , my horses as thy horses . 8And he said, Which way shall we go up ? And he answered, The way of the wilderness of Edom.
Seeking the Lord's Guidance
9So the king of Israel went , and the king of Judah , and the king of Edom; and they made a circuit of seven days ’ journey : and there was no water for the host , nor for the beasts that followed them . 10And the king of Israel said , Alas! for Jehovah hath called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab . 11But Jehoshaphat said , Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah , that we may inquire of Jehovah by him ? And one of the king of Israel ’s servants answered and said , Elisha the son of Shaphat is here , who poured water on the hands of Elijah. 12And Jehoshaphat said , The word of Jehovah is with him . So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him . 13And Elisha said unto the king of Israel , What have I to do with thee ? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him , Nay; for Jehovah hath called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab . 14And Elisha said, As Jehovah of hosts liveth , before whom I stand , surely , were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah , I would not look toward thee , nor see thee .
The Prophecy of Elisha
15But now bring me a minstrel . And it came to pass , when the minstrel played , that the hand of Jehovah came upon him . 16And he said, Thus saith Jehovah , Make this valley full of trenches . 17For thus saith Jehovah , Ye shall not see wind , neither shall ye see rain ; yet that valley shall be filled with water , and ye shall drink , both ye and your cattle and your beasts. 18And this is but a light thing in the sight of Jehovah : he will also deliver the Moabites into your hand . 19And ye shall smite every fortified city , and every choice city , and shall fell every good tree , and stop all fountains of water , and mar every good piece of land with stones. 20And it came to pass in the morning , about the time of offering the oblation , that , behold , there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water .
Victory Over Moab
21Now when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them , they gathered themselves together , all that were able to put on armor , and upward , and stood on the border . 22And they rose up early in the morning , and the sun shone upon the water , and the Moabites saw the water over against them as red as blood : 23and they said, This is blood ; the kings are surely destroyed , and they have smitten each man his fellow : now therefore , Moab , to the spoil . 24And when they came to the camp of Israel , the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites , so that they fled before them ; and they went forward into the land smiting the Moabites . 25And they beat down the cities ; and on every good piece of land they cast every man his stone, and filled it ; and they stopped all the fountains of water , and felled all the good trees , until in Kir-hareseth only they left the stones thereof ; howbeit the slingers went about it , and smote it . 26And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him , he took with him seven hundred men that drew sword , to break through unto the king of Edom; but they could not . 27Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead , and offered him for a burnt-offering upon the wall . And there was great wrath against Israel : and they departed from him , and returned to their own land.