3. Nevertheless, he continued in the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had committed and led the people of Israel to commit.
4. King Mesha of Moab was a sheep breeder. He used to pay the king of Israel an annual tribute of 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams.
5. But after Ahab’s death, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
6. So King Joram promptly mustered the army of Israel and marched from Samaria.
7. On the way, he sent this message to King Jehoshaphat of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you join me in battle against him?”And Jehoshaphat replied, “Why, of course! You and I are as one. My troops are your troops, and my horses are your horses.”
8. Then Jehoshaphat asked, “What route will we take?”“We will attack from the wilderness of Edom,” Joram replied.
9. The king of Edom and his troops joined them, and all three armies traveled along a roundabout route through the wilderness for seven days. But there was no water for the men or their animals.
10. “What should we do?” the king of Israel cried out. “The lord has brought the three of us here to let the king of Moab defeat us.”
11. But King Jehoshaphat of Judah asked, “Is there no prophet of the lord with us? If there is, we can ask the lord what to do through him.”One of King Joram’s officers replied, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to be Elijah’s personal assistant.”