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WHEN Joram had taken upon him the kingdom, he determined to make
an expedition against the king of Moab, whose name was Mesha; for, as we
told you before, he was departed from his obedience to his brother [Ahaziah],
while he paid to his father Ahab two hundred thousand sheep, with their
fleeces of wool. When therefore he had gathered his own army together,
he sent also to Jehoshaphat, and entreated him, that since he had from
the beginning been a friend to his father, he would assist him in the war
that he was entering into against the Moabites, who had departed from their
obedience, who not only himself promised to assist him, but would also
oblige the king of Edom, who was under his authority, to make the same
expedition also. When Joram had received these assurances of assistance
from Jehoshaphat, he took his army with him, and came to Jerusalem; and
when he had been sumptuously entertained by the king of Jerusalem, it was
resolved upon by them to take their march against their enemies through
the wilderness of Edom. And when they had taken a compass of seven days'
journey, they were in distress for want of water for the cattle, and for
the army, from the mistake of their roads by the guides that conducted
them, insomuch that they were all in an agony, especially Joram; and cried
to God, by reason of their sorrow, and [desired to know] what wickedness
had been committed by them that induced him to deliver three kings together,
without fighting, unto the king of Moab. But Jehoshaphat, who was a righteous
man, encouraged him, and bade him send to the camp, and know whether any
prophet of God was come along with them, that we might by him learn from
God what we should do. And when one of the servants of Joram said that
he had seen there Elisha, the son of Shaphat, the disciple of Elijah, the
three kings went to him, at the entreaty of Jehoshaphat; and when they
were come at the prophet's tent, which tent was pitched out of the camp,
they asked him what would become of the army? and Joram was particularly
very pressing with him about it. And when he replied to him, that he should
not trouble him, but go to his father's and mother's prophets, for they
[to be sure] were true prophets, he still desired him to prophesy, and
to save them. So he swore by God that he would not answer him, unless it
were on account of Jehoshaphat, who was a holy and righteous man; and when,
at his desire, they brought him a man that could play on the psaltery,
the Divine Spirit came upon him as the music played, and he commanded them
to dig many trenches in the valley; for, said he, "though there appear
neither cloud, nor wind, nor storm of rain, ye shall see this river full
of water, till the army and the cattle be saved for you by drinking of
it. Nor will this be all the favor that you shall receive from God, but
you shall also overcome your enemies, and take the best and strongest cities
of the Moabites, and you shall cut down their fruit trees,
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and lay waste their country, and stop up their fountains and rivers."