Reference: Chemosh
American
Easton
the destroyer, subduer, or fish-god, the god of the Moabites (Nu 21:29; Jer 48:7,13,46). The worship of this god, "the abomination of Moab," was introduced at Jerusalem by Solomon (1Ki 11:7), but was abolished by Josiah (2Ki 23:13). On the "Moabite Stone" (q.v.), Mesha (2Ki 3:5) ascribes his victories over the king of Israel to this god, "And Chemosh drove him before my sight."
Fausets
The "abomination" (i.e. idol, in Scripture's contemptuous phrase) of Moab (Nu 21:29; Jer 48:7,13-46). Depicted on coins with sword, lance, and shield, and two torches at his side. Ammon, from its close connection with Moab, also worshipped Chemosh, but Moloch (kin) was their peculiar deity (Jg 11:24). Solomon introduced, and Josiah overthrew, Chemosh worship in Jerusalem. A black star, according to Jewish tradition, was his symbol, whether as identical with Mars or Saturn. Jerome states that Dibon was his chief seat of worship.
A black stone was the Arab symbol of him. The inscribed black stone set up at Dibon, lately discovered, is full of the Moabite king Mesha's praises of Chemosh as the giver of his martial successes against Israel. (See MOAB; DIBON.) Derived from kabash, to vanquish. Idolatry originated in appropriating to separate deities the attributes combined in the one true God. "Ashtar Chemosh," mentioned on the Moabite stone, connects the Moabite and the Phoenician worship. Ashtar is the masculine of Astarte, an androgynous god, combining the active and passive powers of nature. Chemosh required human sacrifices as god of war; Mesha, after taking Ataroth, offered all the warriors in sacrifice.
Hastings
The national god of the Moabites (Nu 21:29; in Jg 11:24 probably 'Chemosh' is a scribal or other error for 'Milcom' [wh. see], who held the same position among the Ammonites). His rites seem to have included human sacrifice (cf. 2Ki 3:27). It was for this 'abomination of Moab' that Solomon erected a temple (1Ki 11:7), later destroyed by Josiah (2Ki 23:13).
N. Koenig.
Morish
Chemosh'
One of the chief gods of the Moabites and the Ammonites, the worship of which was introduced at Jerusalem by Solomon, and abolished by Josiah. Nu 21:29; Jg 11:24; 1Ki 11:7,33;
2Ki 23:13; Jer 48:7,13,46. On the 'MOABITE ' STONE, q.v., this 'god' is mentioned. The king, referring to the king of Israel, says, "Chemosh drove him before my sight."
Smith
Watsons
CHEMOSH, ????, an idol of the Moabites, Nu 21:29. The name is derived from a root which in Arabic signifies to hasten. For this reason, many believe Chemosh to be the sun, whose precipitate course might well procure it the name of swift. Some identify Chemosh with Ammon; and Macrobius shows that Ammon was the sun, whose rays were denoted by his horns. Calmet is of opinion that the god Hamanus and Apollo Chomeus, mentioned by Strabo and Ammianus Marcellinus, was Chamos, or the sun. These deities were worshipped in many parts of the east. Some, from the resemblance of the Hebrew Chamos with the Greek Comos, have thought Chamos to signify Bacchus. Jerom and most interpreters consider Chemosh and Peor as the same deity; but some think that Baal-Peor was Tammuz, or Adonis. To Chemosh Solomon erected an altar upon the Mount of Olives, 1Ki 11:7. As to the form of the idol Chemosh, the Scripture is silent; but if, according to Jerom, it were like Baal-Peor, it must have been of the beeve kind; as were, probably, all the Baals, though accompanied with various insignia. There can be little doubt that part of the religious services performed to Chemosh, as to Baal- Peor, consisted in revelling and drunkenness, obscenities and impurities of the grossest kinds. From Chemosh the Greeks seem to have derived their ?????, called by the Romans Comus, the god of feasting and revelling.