Joram, hijo de Acab, comenzó a reinar sobre Israel en Samaria en el año dieciocho de Josafat, rey de Judá^a; y reinó doce años. 2 E hizo lo malo ante los ojos del SEÑOR, aunque no como su padre y su madre, pues quitó el pilar sagrado de Baal^a que su padre había hecho^b. 3 Sin embargo, se aferró a los pecados de Jeroboam^a, hijo de Nabat, con los que hizo pecar a Israel^b, y no se apartó de ellos.

4 Y Mesa, rey de Moab, era criador de ovejas, y pagaba al rey de Israel cien mil corderos^a y la lana de cien mil carneros. 5 Pero sucedió que cuando Acab murió, el rey de Moab se rebeló contra el rey de Israel^a. 6 Y aquel mismo día el rey Joram salió de Samaria y alistó a todo Israel. 7 Entonces fue y envió palabra a Josafat, rey de Judá, diciendo: El rey de Moab se ha rebelado contra mí. ¿Irás conmigo a pelear contra Moab? Y él respondió: Subiré; yo soy como tú, mi pueblo como tu pueblo, mis caballos como tus caballos^a. 8 Y dijo: ¿Por qué camino subiremos? Y él respondió: Por el camino del desierto de Edom. 9 Fue el rey de Israel^a con el rey de Judá^b y el rey de Edom^c; y dando un rodeo anduvieron siete días de camino; y no había agua para el ejército ni para los animales que los seguían. 10 Entonces el rey de Israel dijo: ¡Ah! Porque el SEÑOR ha llamado a estos tres reyes para entregarlos en manos de Moab. 11 Pero Josafat dijo: ¿No hay aquí un profeta del SEÑOR para que consultemos al SEÑOR por medio de él^a? Y uno de los siervos del rey de Israel respondió, y dijo: Aquí está Eliseo, hijo de Safat^b, el que vertía agua en las manos de Elías^c. 12 Y Josafat dijo: La palabra del SEÑOR está con él. Y el rey de Israel y Josafat y el rey de Edom descendieron a él.

13 Entonces Eliseo dijo al rey de Israel: ¿Qué tengo que ver contigo? Ve a los profetas de tu padre y a los profetas de tu madre^a. Y el rey de Israel le dijo: No, porque el SEÑOR ha llamado a estos tres reyes para entregarlos en mano de Moab. 14 Y Eliseo dijo: Vive el SEÑOR de los ejércitos, ante quien estoy^a, que si no fuera por respeto a la presencia de Josafat, rey de Judá, no te miraría ni te vería. 15 Mas traedme ahora un tañedor^a. Y sucedió que mientras el tañedor tocaba, la mano del SEÑOR vino sobre Eliseo^1b. 16 Y él dijo: Así dice el SEÑOR: «Haced en este valle muchas zanjas». 17 Pues así dice el SEÑOR: «No veréis viento, ni veréis lluvias; sin embargo ese valle se llenará de agua^a, y beberéis vosotros y vuestros ganados y vuestras bestias». 18 Aun esto es poco ante los ojos del SEÑOR^a; también entregará en vuestras manos a los moabitas. 19 Y destruiréis¹ toda ciudad fortificada y toda ciudad principal, y talaréis todo árbol bueno, cegaréis todas las fuentes de agua y dañaréis con piedras todo terreno fértil^a. 20 Y aconteció que por la mañana, a la hora de ofrecer el sacrificio^a, he aquí, el agua vino por el camino de Edom, y la tierra se llenó de agua.

21 Y todos los moabitas oyeron que los reyes habían subido a pelear contra ellos. Y convocaron a todos, desde los que podían ceñir armadura¹ para arriba, y se pusieron en la frontera. 22 Se levantaron muy de mañana, y cuando el sol brilló sobre el agua, los moabitas vieron el agua frente a ellos tan roja como la sangre. 23 Entonces dijeron: Esto es sangre; sin duda los reyes han peleado entre sí, y se han matado unos a otros. Ahora pues, ¡Moab, al despojo! 24 Pero cuando llegaron al campamento de Israel, los israelitas se levantaron e hirieron a los moabitas, yestos huyeron delante de ellos; y los israelitas se adentraron en el país¹ matando² a los moabitas. 25 Destruyeron las ciudades, y cada uno arrojó su piedra en toda parcela de tierra buena, y las llenaron. Cegaron todas las fuentes de agua y talaron todos los árboles buenos^a, hasta dejar en Kir-hareset^bsolo sus piedras; no obstante, los honderos la rodearon y la destruyeron¹. 26 Al ver el rey de Moab que la batalla arreciaba contra él, tomó consigo setecientos hombres que sacaban espada, para abrir brecha hacia el rey de Edom, mas no pudieron. 27 Entonces tomó a su hijo primogénito que había de reinar en su lugar, y lo ofreció en holocausto sobre la muralla. Y hubo gran ira contra los israelitas, quienes se apartaron de allí^1a y regresaron a su tierra.

Jehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria ^ain the ¹eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. 2 He did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not like his father and mother; for ^ahe put away the sacred pillar of Baal ^bthat his father had made. 3 Nevertheless, ^ahe continued in the idolatrous sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, ^bwho made Israel sin; he did not depart from them.

4 ¹Mesha the king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he used to ^apay an annual tribute to the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. 5 But ^awhen Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 6 So King Jehoram left Samaria at that time and assembled all the fighting men of Israel. 7 Then he went and sent word to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?” And he replied, “I will go; ^aI am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” 8 Jehoram said, “Which way shall we go up?” Jehoshaphat answered, “The way through the Wilderness of Edom.”

9 So ^athe king of Israel went with ^bthe king of Judah and ^cthe king of Edom. They made a circuit of seven days’ journey, but there was no water for the army or for the cattle that followed them. 10 Then the king of Israel said, “We are doomed, for the LORD has called these three kings to be handed over to Moab.” 11 But Jehoshaphat said, “^aIs there no prophet of the LORD here from whom we may inquire of the LORD?” One of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “^bElisha the son of Shaphat is here, ^cwho ¹used to pour water over Elijah’s hands.” 12 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 Elisha.

13 Now Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What business do you have with me? ^aGo to the prophets of your wicked father Ahab and to the prophets of your pagan mother Jezebel.” But the king of Israel said to him, “No, for the LORD has called these three kings together to be handed over to Moab.” 14 Elisha said, “^aAs the LORD of hosts (armies) lives, before whom I stand, were it not that I have regard for Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you nor see you king of Israel. 15 But now ^abring me a musician.” And it came about while the musician played, that ^bthe hand (power) of the LORD came upon Elisha. 16 He said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Make this valley (the Arabah) full of trenches.’ 17 For thus says the LORD, ‘You will not see wind or rain, yet that valley ^awill be filled with water, so you and your cattle and your other animals may drink. 18 This is but a ^asimple thing in the sight of the LORD; He will also hand over the Moabites to you. 19 ^aYou shall strike every fortified city and every choice (principal) city, and cut down every good tree and stop up all sources of water, and ruin every good piece of land with stones.’” 20 It happened in the morning, ^awhen the sacrifice was offered, that suddenly water came miraculously from the area of Edom, and the country was filled with water.

21 Now all the Moabites heard that the three kings had come up to fight against them, and all ¹who were able to put on armor, as well as those who were older, were summoned and stood together in battle formation at the border. 22 When they got up early the next morning, the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water across from them as red as blood. 23 And they said, “This is blood! Clearly the kings have fought together, and have killed one another. Now then, Moab, to the spoil and the plunder of the dead soldiers!” 24 But when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and struck the Moabites, so that they fled before them; and they went forward into the land, killing the Moabites as they went. 25 ^aThey destroyed the walls of the cities, and each man threw a stone on every piece of good land, covering it with stones. And they stopped up all the springs of water and cut down all the good trees, until they left nothing in ^bKir-hareseth Moab’s capital city but its stones. Then the stone slingers surrounded the city and destroyed it. 26 When 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. 27 Then the king of Moab took his ¹eldest son, who was to reign in his place, and ^2aoffered him publicly as a burnt offering to Chemosh on the city wall horrifying everyone. And there was great wrath against Israel, and Israel’s allies Judah and Edom withdrew from King Jehoram and returned to their own land.

Now Jehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel at Samaria ^ain the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned for twelve years. 2 He did evil in the sight of the LORD, though not like his father and his mother; for ^ahe removed the memorial stone of Baal ^bwhich his father had made. 3 Nevertheless, ^ahe clung to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, into ^bwhich he misled Israel; he did not abandon them.

4 Now Mesha the king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he ^aused to make tribute payments to the king of Israel of a hundred thousand lambs, and the wool of a hundred thousand rams. 5 However, ^awhen King Ahab died, the king of Moab broke with the ¹king of Israel. 6 So King Jehoram left Samaria for battle ¹at that time and mustered all Israel. 7 Then he went and sent word to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has broken away from me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?” And he said, “I will go up. ^1aConsider me yours, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” 8 Then he said, “Which way shall we go up?” And he ¹answered, “The way of the wilderness of Edom.”

9 So ^athe king of Israel went with ^bthe king of Judah and ^cthe king of Edom, and they made a circuit of seven days’ journey. But there was no water for the army or for the cattle that ¹followed them. 10 Then the king of Israel said, “It is hopeless! For the LORD has called these three kings to hand them over to Moab!” 11 But Jehoshaphat said, “^aIs there no prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of the LORD by him?” And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, “^bElisha the son of Shaphat is here, ^cwho used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.” 12 And 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.

13 Now Elisha said to the king of Israel, “¹What business do you have with me? ^aGo to your father’s prophets and your mother’s prophets.” But the king of Israel said to him, “No, for the LORD has called these three kings together to hand them over to Moab.” 14 Elisha said, “^aAs surely as the LORD of armies lives, before whom I stand, if I did not respect Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look at you nor see you. 15 But now ^abring me a ¹musician.” And it came about, when the ²musician played, that ^bthe hand of the LORD came upon him. 16 And he said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Make this valley ¹full of trenches.’ 17 For the LORD says this: ‘You will not see wind, nor will you see rain; yet that valley ^ashall be filled with water, so that you will drink, you, your livestock, and your other animals. 18 And this is an ^ainsignificant thing in the sight of the LORD; He will also give the Moabites into your hand. 19 ^aThen you shall strike every fortified city and every choice city, and ¹cut down every good tree and stop up all the springs of water, and spoil every good plot of land with stones.’” 20 And it happened in the morning ^aabout the time of offering the sacrifice, that behold, water came from the direction of Edom, and the country was filled with water.

21 Now all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. And all who were able to ¹put on armor and older were summoned and they took their positions on the border. 22 Then they got up early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood. 23 So they said, “This is blood; the kings must have fought each other, and they have killed one another. Now then, Moab, to the spoils!” 24 But when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and struck the Moabites, so that they fled from them; and the Israelites invaded ¹the land, ²killing the Moabites. 25 ^aSo they destroyed the cities; and each one threw a stone on every plot of good land and filled it. So they stopped up every spring of water and ¹cut down every good tree, until in ^bKir-hareseth only they left its stones; however, the rock slingers surrounded it and struck it. 26 When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not. 27 Then the king of Moab took his oldest son who was to reign in his place, and ^aoffered him as a burnt offering on the wall. And great anger came upon Israel, and they departed from him and returned to their own land.