1. Joram became king of Israel in Samaria. It was in the 18th year that Jehoshaphat was king of Judah. Joram ruled for 12 years. He was the son of Ahab.
2. Joram did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. But he wasn't as bad as his father and mother had been. His father had made a sacred stone that was used to worship the god Baal. Joram got rid of it.
3. But he kept on committing the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. Jeroboam had also caused Israel to commit those same sins. Joram didn't turn away from them.
4. Mesha raised sheep. He was king of Moab. He had to supply the king of Israel with 100,000 lambs a year. He also had to supply him with the wool of 100,000 rams a year.
5. Ahab died. Moab's king refused to obey the next king of Israel.
6. So at that time King Joram started out from Samaria. He gathered all of Israel's troops together.
7. He also sent a message to Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah. It said, "The king of Moab is refusing to obey me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?" "Yes. I'll go with you," he replied. "My men will go with you. My horses will also go with you."
8. "What road should we take to attack Moab?" Joram asked. "The one that goes through the Desert of Edom," Jehoshaphat answered.
9. So the king of Israel started out. The king of Judah and the king of Edom went with him. Their armies marched around the southern end of the Dead Sea. After seven days they ran out of water. There wasn't any water for the men or their animals.
10. "What should we do now?" exclaimed the king of Israel. "The Lord has called us three kings together. Did he do it only to hand us over to Moab?"
11. But Jehoshaphat asked, "Isn't there a prophet of the Lord here? Can't we ask the Lord for advice through him?" An officer of the king of Israel spoke up. He answered, "Elisha is here. He's the son of Shaphat. Elisha used to serve Elijah."