264 BATTLES OF THE BIBLE.

Marvanne. You need not ask, for all the kings of
Israel were bad.

Grandfather. He was a wicked man, although not
like his father and his mother, a worshipper of Baal. He
was perhaps the best of his family, but they were a vile
family, and the best was bad. During the reign of
Ahab the Moabites had been tributaries to the king of
Israel. When Ahab died, Mesha, king of Moab, re-
belled. Although Ahaziah was two years on the throne,
he made no attempt to recover this part of his revenue,
—the hundred thousand rams and the hundred thousand
lambs which the king of Moab had been in the habit of
paying yearly. As soon as Jehoram was king of Israel
he resolved to demand his right, so he assembled an army
and prepared to march against Mesha. He sent to ask
the assistance of Jehoshaphat in this undertaking. The
king of Judah gave to him the same reply as he had
given to his father when he asked him to go with him
against the king of Syria,—“ I am as thou art, my
people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses.”

Marianne. I would have thought Jehoshaphat would
not have joined with one of the wicked kings of Israel
again ; he had not gained much by it I daresay.

Grandfather. He did not. He very nearly lost his life
in the expedition. Jehoram consulted him about the road
they ought to take to the land of the Moabites. Jehosha-
phat advised the way through the wilderness of Edom.

Johnnie. Was that the nearest way ?

Grandfather. It was not the nearest way, but they