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."
12. Jehoshaphat said, "The Lord speaks through him." So the king of Israel went down to see Elisha. Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom also went there.
13. Elisha spoke to the king of Israel. He said, "What do you and I have in common? Go to your father's prophets. Go to your mother's prophets." "No," the king of Israel answered. "The Lord called us three kings together. He did it to hand us over to Moab."
14. Elisha said, "I serve the Lord who rules over all. You can be sure that he lives. And you can be just as sure that I have respect for Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah. If I didn't, I wouldn't look at you or even notice you.
15. But now bring me someone who plays the harp." While that person was playing the harp, the Lord's powerful hand came on Elisha.
16. Elisha announced, "The Lord says, 'Dig a lot of ditches in this valley.'
17. Do it because the Lord says, 'You will not see wind or rain. But this valley will be filled with water. Then you, your cattle and your other animals will have water to drink.'