1. Joram, son of Ahab, became king of Israel in Samaria during Jehoshaphat’s eighteenth year as king of Judah. He ruled for 12 years.
2. He did what the Lord considered evil, but he didn’t do what his father or mother had done. He put away the sacred stone that his father had set up and dedicated to Baal.
3. But he would not give up the sins that Jer o boam (Nebat’s son) led Israel to commit. Joram would not turn away from those sins.
4. King Mesha of Moab raised sheep. ⌊Each year⌋ he had to pay the king of Israel 100,000 male lambs and the wool from 100,000 rams.
5. But when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the ⌊new⌋ king of Israel.
6. King Joram immediately left Samaria to prepare Israel’s army for war.
7. He sent this message to King Jehoshaphat of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you fight Moab with me?”Jehoshaphat answered, “I’ll go. I will do what you do. My troops will do what your troops do. My horses will do what your horses do.”
8. Joram asked, “Which road should we take?”Jehoshaphat answered, “The road through the desert of Edom.”
9. So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom took an indirect route ⌊to Moab⌋. After seven days they ran out of water for the army and the animals.
10. The king of Israel said, “Oh no! The Lord has put the three of us at the mercy of ⌊the people of⌋ Moab.”