1. In the eighteenth year of the reign of King Jehoshaphat of Judah, Joram son of Ahab became king of Israel, and he ruled in Samaria for twelve years.
2. He sinned against the Lord, but he was not as bad as his father or his mother Jezebel; he pulled down the image his father had made for the worship of Baal.
3. Yet, like King Jeroboam son of Nebat before him, he led Israel into sin, and would not stop.
4. King Mesha of Moab bred sheep, and every year he gave as tribute to the king of Israel 100,000 lambs, and the wool from 100,000 sheep.
5. But when King Ahab of Israel died, Mesha rebelled against Israel.
6. At once King Joram left Samaria and gathered all his troops.