Reference: Moab
Easton
the seed of the father, or, according to others, the desirable land, the eldest son of Lot (Ge 19:37), of incestuous birth.
(2.) Used to denote the people of Moab (Nu 22:3-14; Jg 3:30; 2Sa 8:2; Jer 48:11,13).
(3.) The land of Moab (Jer 48:24), called also the "country of Moab" (Ru 1:2,6; 2:6), on the east of Jordan and the Dead Sea, and south of the Arnon (Nu 21:13,26). In a wider sense it included the whole region that had been occupied by the Amorites. It bears the modern name of Kerak.
In the Plains of Moab, opposite Jericho (Nu 22:1; 26:63; Jos 13:32), the children of Israel had their last encampment before they entered the land of Canaan. It was at that time in the possession of the Amorites (Nu 21:22). "Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah," and "died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord" (De 34:5-6). "Surely if we had nothing else to interest us in the land of Moab, the fact that it was from the top of Pisgah, its noblest height, this mightiest of the prophets looked out with eye undimmed upon the Promised Land; that it was here on Nebo, its loftiest mountain, that he died his solitary death; that it was here, in the valley over against Beth-peor, he found his mysterious sepulchre, we have enough to enshrine the memory in our hearts."
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And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab, - the same, is the father of Moab, unto this day.
From thence, brake they up, and encamped on the other side of Arnon which is in the desert, that cometh forth out of the boundary of the Amorites, - for, Arnon, is the boundary of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.
Let me pass through thy land we will not turn aside into field or into vineyard, nor will we drink the water of a well, - by the kings road, will we go, until we get through thy boundary.
for, as for Heshbon, the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, it was, he, having fought with the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, unto Arnon.
Then did the sons of Israel break up, - and encamp in the waste plains of Moab, on the other side of the Jordan by Jericho.
and Moab shrank with great fear from the presence of the people because, many, they were, - and Moab was alarmed at the presence of the sons of Israel. So Moab said unto the elders of Midian - Now, shall the gathered host lick up all that are round about us, as the ox doth lick up the verdure of the field. But, Balak son of Zippor, was king unto Moab at that time. read more. So he sent messengers unto Balaam son of Boor, to Pethor which was by the river of the land of the sons of his people to call him, - saying Lo! a people, hath come forth out of Egypt Lo! he hath covered the eye of the land, Yea he, is tarrying over against me. Now, therefore, do come, I pray thee curse me this people. For stronger, he is than I, If peradventure I prevail, we shall smite him, That I may drive him out of the land, - For I know that, he whom thou dost bless, is to be blessed, And the whom thou dost curse, is to be cursed. And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went their way, with the rewards of divination in their hand, - so they came in unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak. And he said unto them - Tarry ye here for the night, and I will bring you back word, as Yahweh shall speak unto me. So the princes of Moab abode with Balaam. And God came in unto Balaam, - and said, Who are these men with thee? Then said Balaam unto God, - Balak, son of Zipper king of Moab, hath sent unto me: Lo! the people that hath come forth out of Egypt - he covereth the eye of the land. Now, do come, do revile me him, Peradventure I shall prevail in making war with him, And shall drive him out. And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them, - Thou shalt not curse the people, For blessed, he is. And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your own land, - For Yahweh hath refused to let me go with you. So the princes of Moab arose, and came in unto Balak, - and said, Balaam refused to come with us.
These, are they who were numbered by Moses, and Eleazar, the priest, - when they numbered the sons of Israel, in the waste plains of Moab, by Jordan, near Jericho.
So Moses, the servant of Yahweh, died there, in the land of Moab, at the bidding of Yahweh; and he buried him, in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor, - but no man hath known his burying-place, until this day.
These, are the portions which Moses gave for inheritance, in the waste plains of Moab, - over the Jordan by Jericho eastward.
And Moab was subdued on that day, under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest eighty years, and Ehud judged them until his death.
And, the name of the man, was Elimelech, and, the name of his wife, Naomi, and, the name of his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion - Ephrathites out of Bethlehem-judah, - so they came into the country of Moab, and remained there.
Then she arose, she and her daughters-in-law, and returned out of the country of Moab, - for she had heard, in the country of Moab, how that Yahweh had visited his people, in giving unto them, bread.
And the young man that was set over the reapers answered and said, - The Moabitish maiden, is she who came back with Naomi, out of the country of Moab;
Moab, hath been at ease from his youth, And settled is he upon his lees, And hath not been poured out from vessel to vessel, Nor into captivity, hath gone, - For this cause, hath his flavour stood still within him, And his scent is unchanged.
Then shall Moab, be ashamed, of, Chemosh, - Just as, the sons of Israel, were ashamed of Bethel their confidence.
and Upon Kerioth, and Upon Bozrah, - Yea, upon all the cities of the land of Moab, far and near.
Fausets
("from father"), i.e. the incestuous offspring of Lot's older daughter, near Zoar, S.E. of the Dead Sea (Ge 19:37). Originally the Moabites dwelt due E. of the Dead Sea, from whence they expelled the Emims. Their territory was 40 miles long, 12 wide, the modern Belka or Kerak (De 2:10-11). Afterward, Sihon king of the Amorites drove them S. of the river Amon, now wady el Mojib (Nu 21:13,26-30; Jg 11:13,18), which thenceforward was their northern boundary. Israel was forbidden to meddle with them (Jg 11:9,19) on account of the tie of blood through Lot, Abraham's nephew, for Jehovah gave Ar unto the children of Lot, having dispossessed the giant Emims. It was only when Moab seduced Israel to idolatry and impurity (Numbers 25), and hired Balaam to curse them, that they were excluded from Jehovah's congregation to the tenth generation (De 23:3-4). Ammon was more roving than Moab and occupied the pastures to the N.E. outside the mountains.
Moab was more settled in habits, and remained nearer the original seat Zoar. Its territory after the Amorite conquest was circumscribed, but well fortified by nature (Nu 21:20, margin); called "the field of Moab" (Ru 1, and "the corner of Moab" (Nu 24:17; Jer 48:45). The country N. of Arnon, opposite Jericho reaching to Gilead, was more open; vast prairie-like plains broken by rocky prominences; "the land of Moab" (De 1:5; 32:49). Besides there was the Arboth Moab, "plains (rather deep valley) of Moab," the dry sunken valley of Jordan (Nu 22:1). Outside of the hills enclosing Moab proper on the S.E. are the uncultivated pastures called midbar, "wilderness," facing Moab (Nu 21:11). Through it Israel advanced. The song (Ex 15:15) at the Red Sea first mentions the nation, "trembling shall take hold upon ... the mighty men of Moab."
Israel's request for a passage through Edom and Moab, and liberty to purchase bread and water, was refused (Jg 11:17; Nu 20:14-21). In Israel's circuitous march round the two kingdoms they at last, when it suited their own selfish ends and when they could not prevent Israel's march, sold them bread and water (De 2:28-29; 23:3-4). The exclusion of a Moabite from the congregation only forbade his naturalization, not his dwelling in Israel nor an Israelite marrying a Moabitess. Ruth married Naomi's son, but became a proselyte. The law of exclusion it is clear could never have been written after David's time, whose great grandmother was a Moabitess. Israel was occupying the country N. of Arnon which Moab had just lost to Sihon, and which Israel in turn had wrested from him, and with its main force had descended from the upper level to the Shittim plains, the Arboth Moab, in the Jordan valley, when Balak, alarmed for his already diminished territory, induced the Midianite "elders" to join him and hired Balak; virtually, though never actually, "warring against Israel" (Jos 24:9; Jg 11:25).
The daughters of Moab, mentioned in Nu 25:1, were those with whom Israel "began whoredom," but the main guilt was Midian's, and on Midian fell the vengeance (Nu 25:16-18; 31:1-18). Moab's licentious rites furnished the occasion, but Midian was the active agent in corrupting the people. Balak (contrast, "the former king of Moab," Nu 21:26) was probably not hereditary king but a Midianite; the Midianites taking advantage of Moab's weakness after Sihon's victories to impose a Midianite king. Zippor ("bird"), his father, reminds us of other Midianite names, Oreb "crow," Zeeb "wolf"; Sihon may have imposed him on Moab. The five "princes" or "kings" of Midian were vassal "dukes of Sihon dwelling in the country" (Jos 13:21; Nu 31:8). The licentiousness of the neighboring cities of the plain and Moab's origin accord with the more than common licentiousness attributed to Moab and Midian in Numbers 25. Eglon king of Moab, with Ammon and Amalek, smote Israel and occupied Jericho, but was slain by the Benjamite Ehud (Jg 3:12-30). (See EGLON.)
Saul fought Moab successfully, himself also a Benjamite (1Sa 14:47). David moved away to Moab the land of his ancestry, fleeing from Saul, his and Moab's enemy, and committed to the king his father and mother (1Sa 22:3-4). Probably some act of perfidy of Moab, as the murder or treacherous delivering of his parents to Saul, caused David 20 years afterward to slay two thirds of the people, and make bondmen and tributaries of the rest (2Sa 8:2; in this war Benaiah slew two lion-like men, 2Sa 23:20; compare also Ps 60:8, "Moab is my washpot"; yet among David's heroes was "Ithmah the Moabite," 1Ch 11:22,46), fulfilling Balaam's prophecy, Nu 24:17,19; "out of Jacob shall come he that shall destroy him that remaineth of Ar" (Hebrew, namely, of Moab). Among Solomon's foreign concubines were Moabitish women, to whose god Chemosh he built "a high place on the hill before (facing) Jerusalem" (1Ki 11:1,7,33), where it remained until Josiah defiled it four centuries afterward (2Ki 23:13).
At the severance of Israel from Judah Moab was under Israel, because the Jordan fords lay within Benjamin which in part adhered to the northern kingdom. At Ahab's death Mesh and Dibon, who had paid for the time the enormous tribute, 100,000; lambs and 100,000 rams with the wool, revolted (2Ki 1:1; 3:4-5). (See MESH; DIBON.) His first, step was, he secured the cooperation of Ammon and others enumerated in Ps 83:7-8, in an invasion of Judah, which was before Jehoshaphat's alliance with Ahaziah (2Ch 20:1-35), therefore still earlier than the invasion of Moab by the confederate kings of Edom, Israel (Jehoram, Ahaziah's son), and Judah (2 Kings 3). (See JEHOSHAPHAT; JEHORAM; ELISHA; EDOM.) Mutual dissension, under God, destroyed this heterogeneous mass. Then followed the joint invasion of Moab by Jehoshaphat of Judah, Jehoram of Israel, and the king of Edom (2 Kings 3).
The Septuagint states that the Moabite king assembled all old enough to bear a sword girdle. His mistaking the water glowing red with the morning sun for the mutually shed blood of the invaders (which observe he remembered had happened to his own and the allied forces attacking Jehoshaphat) caused Moab to rush forward for spoil, only to be slaughtered by the allies. At Kirhareseth or Kerak his immolation of his own son struck superstitious fear into the besiegers so that they retired (2Ki 3:27; compare Mic 6:5-8); and then followed all the conquests which Mesha records on the Moabite stone. Then too Moah, indignant at his former ally Edom having joined Israel against him, when Israel and Judah retired, burned the king of Edom alive, reducing his bones to lime; or, as Hebrew tradition represents, tore his body after death from the grave and burned it (Am 2:1). Moabite marauding "bands" thenceforward at intervals invaded Israel, as under Jehoahaz (2Ki 13:20).
A century and a half later, in Isaiah's "burden of Moab" (Isaiah 15-16) Moab appears possessing places which it had held in the beginning N. of Arnon, and which had been vacated by Reuben's removal to Assyria (1Ch 5:25-26). Compare also Jeremiah 48, a century later, about 600 B.C. Isaiah (Isa 16:14) foretells, "within three years, as the years of an hireling (who has a fixed term of engagement, so Moab's time of doom is fixed) ... the glory of Moab shall be contemned." Fulfilled by Shalmaneser or Sargon, who destroyed Samaria and ravaged the whole E. of Jordan (725-723 B.C.). As Ammon, so Moab probably, put itself under Judah's king, Uzziah's protection, to which Isaiah (Isa 16:1, "send ye the lamb (the customary tribute) to the ruler ... unto ... Zion") refers (2Ch 26:8; 2Sa 8:2; 2Ki 3:4). Moab contrasts with Ammon, Edom, Philistia, Amalek, Midian, as wealthy, abounding in vineyards, fruitful fields, and gardens, and civilized to a degree next Israel.
Hence flowed "pride (he is exceeding proud), loftiness, arrogance, and haughtiness of heart" (Jer 48:26,29; Isa 16:6-7). This sin is what brought on Moab destruction, "for he magnified himself against the Lord," boasting against God's people that whereas Israel was fallen Moab remained flourishing (Jas 5:6). In Isa 25:10-12 Moab is the representative of Israel's and the church's foes, especially antichrist, the last enemy. Jehovah, as a "swimmer," strikes out ri
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And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab, - the same, is the father of Moab, unto this day.
Then, were amazed the chiefs of Edom, The mighty ones of Moab, there seizeth them, a trembling, - Melted away, have all the dwellers of Canaan:
but shewing lovingkindness unto thousands of generations , - of them who love me, and keep my commandments.
And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh, unto the king of Edom, - Thus, saith thy brother Israel, Thou thyself, knowest all the distress which befell us; and how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we abode in Egypt, many days, rod that the Egyptians ill-treated us, and our fathers; read more. and we made outcry unto Yahweh, and he heard our voice, and sent a messenger, and brought us forth out of Egypt, - lo! then, we, are in Kadesh, a city at the extremity of thy boundary, Let us, we pray thee, pass through thy land - we will not pass through field or vineyard, nor will we drink the waters of a well, - by the kings road, will we go - we will turn neither to the right hand nor to the left, until we get through thy boundary. And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass through my land, - lest with the sword, I come out to meet thee. And the sons of Israel said unto him - By the highway, will we go up, and if thy waters, we should drink - I, and my cattle then would I give the price thereof, - only - it is nothing! - with my feet, would I pass through. And he said, Thou shalt not pass through. And Edom came out to meet him, with a strong people, and with a firm hand. Thus did Edom refuse to give Israel passage through his boundary, - and Israel turned away from him.
And they brake up from Oboth, - and encamped in Ije-Abarim, in the desert which is over against Moab, towards the rising of the sun.
From thence, brake they up, and encamped on the other side of Arnon which is in the desert, that cometh forth out of the boundary of the Amorites, - for, Arnon, is the boundary of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.
and, from Bamoth of the valley, which is in the field-country of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, - which over-looketh Jeshimon.
for, as for Heshbon, the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, it was, he, having fought with the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, unto Arnon.
for, as for Heshbon, the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, it was, he, having fought with the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, unto Arnon. For this cause, say the poets - Enter ye Heshbon, - Built and prepared be the city of Sihon; read more. For, a fire, hath come forth out of Heshbon, A flame, out of the stronghold of Sihon; It hath consumed Ar of Moab, The lords of the high places of Arnon. Woe to thee, Moab, Thou art lost, O people of Chemosh, - He hath given up his sons as fugitives, And his daughters into captivity, Unto the king of the Amorites, Sihon. Then we shot them - Heshbon is destroyed, as far as Dibon, - Then laid we waste as far as Nophah, A fire reacheth unto Medeba.
Then did the sons of Israel break up, - and encamp in the waste plains of Moab, on the other side of the Jordan by Jericho.
I see One, who is not now, I observe One, who is not nigh, - There hath marched forth a Star out of Jacob. And arisen a Sceptre out of Israel, That hath dishonoured the beard of Mesh, Yea the crown of the head of all the tumultuous;
I see One, who is not now, I observe One, who is not nigh, - There hath marched forth a Star out of Jacob. And arisen a Sceptre out of Israel, That hath dishonoured the beard of Mesh, Yea the crown of the head of all the tumultuous;
Yea One wieldeth dominion out of Jacob, - Who hath destroyed the remnant out of the fortress.
And Israel remained among the acacias, - and the people began to go away unchastely unto the daughters of Moab;
Besiege the Midianites, - and ye shall smite them: for, besiegers, were they unto you, with their wiles wherewith they beguiled you, over the matter of Peor, - and over he matter of Cozbi, daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, who was smitten in the day of the plague, over the matter of Peor.
Exact thou the avenging of the sons of Israel, from the Midianites, - and, afterwards, shalt thou be withdrawn unto thy kinsfolk. So Moses spake unto the people saying, Arm ye from among you men, for the war, and let them go against Midian, to render the avenging of Yahweh upon Midian. read more. A thousand from each tribe, - of all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send forth unto the war. And there volunteered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of each tribe, - twelve thousand, armed for war. And Moses sent them a thousand of each tribe to the war, - them, and Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the vessels of the sanctuary, and the alarm trumpets, in his hand. So they made war upon Midian, as Yahweh had commanded Moses, and slew every male: and the kings of Midian, slew they besides their other slain namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian, - Balaam also, son of Beor, slew they with the sword.
and the kings of Midian, slew they besides their other slain namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian, - Balaam also, son of Beor, slew they with the sword. And the sons of Israel took captive the women of Midian and their little ones, - all their cattle also and all their flocks and all their substance, carried they off as a prey; read more. all their cities also in their sites, and all their encampments, burned they up with fire. Then took they all the spoil, and all the booty, - both of man and beast; and brought in unto Moses and unto Eleazar the priest and unto the assembly of the sons of Israel - the captives and the booty, and the spoil unto the camp, - unto the waste plains of Moab, which are by Jordan, near Jericho. And Moses, and Eleazar the priest and all the princes of the assembly, went forth to meet them, - unto the outside of the camp. Then was Moses sore displeased with the officers of the force, - the princes of thousands, and the princes of hundreds who were coming in from the warring host. And Moses said unto them, - Have ye saved alive every female? Lo! they, became unto the sons of Israel, by the advice of Balaam, the cause of daring acts of treachery against Yahweh, over the affair of Peor, - and then came the plague against the assembly of Yahweh! Now, therefore, slay ye every male among the young, - every woman also that hath cohabited with man, slay ye. But all the young of womankind that hay, not cohabited with man, preserve alive for yourselves.
over the Jordan, in the land of Moab, did Moses take in hand to expound this law, saying: -
the Emim, formerly dwelt therein, - a people great and many and tall, like the Anakim. Giants, used, they also, to be accounted like the Anakim, - but the Moabites, called them Emim.
Food for silver, shalt thou sell me so will I eat, and water for silver, shalt thou let me have, so will I drink, - only I would pass through on my feet; - as the sons of Esau, who are dwelling in Seir, did to me, and the Moabites who are dwelling in Ar, - until that I pass over the Jordan, into the land which, Yahweh our God, is giving unto us.
Neither an Ammonite nor a Moabite shall enter into the convocation of Yahweh, - even to the tenth generation, shall none that belong to them enter into the convocation of Yahweh, unto times age-abiding:
Neither an Ammonite nor a Moabite shall enter into the convocation of Yahweh, - even to the tenth generation, shall none that belong to them enter into the convocation of Yahweh, unto times age-abiding: because they met you not with bread and water, in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt, - but hired against thee Balaam son of Beer from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.
because they met you not with bread and water, in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt, - but hired against thee Balaam son of Beer from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.
Get thee up into this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, which is over against Jericho - and behold the land of Canaan which I am giving unto the sons of Israel, for a possession;
and all the cities of the table-land, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, - whom Moses smote - with the princes of Midian, Evi and Rekem and Zur and Hur and Reba, dukes of Sihon dwelling in the land;
Then rose up Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab, and made war with Israel, - and sent and called for Balaam son of Beor, to curse you;
And the sons of Israel again did the thing that was wicked, in the sight of Yahweh, - and Yahweh emboldened Eglon, king of Moab, against Israel, because they did the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh; and he gathered unto him, the sons of Ammon, and Amalek, - and came and smote Israel, and took possession of the city of palm-trees. read more. So the sons of Israel served Eglon king of Moab, eighteen years. And the sons of Israel made outcry unto Yahweh, and Yahweh raised up unto them a saviour, Ehud son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man left-handed, - and the sons of Israel sent, by his hand, a present, unto Eglon king of Moab. So Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length, - and girded it under his raiment, upon his right thigh. So he offered the present unto Eglon, king of Moab, - now, Eglon, was an exceedingly fat man. And so it was, when he had made an end of offering the present, that he sent away the people who had been bearing the present; but, he himself, turned back from the images that were by Gilgal, and said, A secret word, have I, unto thee, O king! And he said - Silence! Thereupon went out from his presence all who had been standing near him. And, Ehud, came in unto him, he, having been sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself, alone, and Ehud said, A divine word, have I, unto thee. So he arose from off his seat. And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from off his right thigh, - and thrust it into his body; and, the handle also, went in after the blade, and the flesh closed upon the blade, for he withdrew not the sword out of his body, - and he came out into the ante-chamber. And, when Ehud came out into the porch, he closed the doors of the parlour upon him, and bolted them. When, he, had come out, his servants, went in, and looked, and lo! the doors of the parlour were bolted, - so they said, Surely he covereth his feet, in the summer chamber. But, though they tarried a long time, yet lo! he opened not the doors of the parlour, - so they took the key, and opened them , when lo! their lord, fallen to the ground dead. But, Ehud, escaped while they delayed, - yea, he, passed the images, and escaped into Seirah. And so it was, when he came, that he blew with a horn, throughout the hill country of Ephraim, - and the sons of Israel came down with him, out of the hill country, he, being before them. And he said unto them - Come down after me, for Yahweh hath delivered your enemies, the Moabites, into your hand. So they came down after him, and captured the fords of the Jordan, towards Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over. And they smote of Moab, at that time, about ten thousand men, every one a mighty man, and every one a man of valour, - and, there escaped not a man. And Moab was subdued on that day, under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest eighty years, and Ehud judged them until his death.
And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead - If ye do bring me back to do battle with the sons of Ammon, and Yahweh deliver them up before me, shall, I myself, become your head?
And the king of the sons of Ammon said unto the messengers of Jephthah - Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto the Jabbok, and unto the Jordan, - now, therefore, restore them in peace.
then did Israel send messengers unto the king of Edom, saying - Let me pass, I pray thee, through thy land, but the king of Edom hearkened not, unto the king of Moab also, sent they, but he would not consent, - so Israel abode in Kadesh. Then journeyed they through the desert, and went round the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and so came, from the rising of the sun, to the land of Moab, but encamped beyond Arnon, - and entered not within the boundary of Moab, for, Arnon, is the boundary of Moab. read more. Then did Israel send messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, king of Heshbon, - and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land as far as my own place.
Now, therefore, art thou, really better, than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? Hath there been any, striving at all, with Israel, or any, fighting at all, with them,
And, Saul, took possession of the kingdom over Israel, - and made war round about against all his enemies - against Moab, and against the sons of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines, and, whomsoever he turned against, he was victorious.
And David departed thence, to Mizpah of Moab, - and said unto the king of Moab, I pray thee, let my father and my mother dwell with you, until that I know what God will do for me. So he set them before the king of Moab, - and they dwelt with him, all the days that David was in the fortress.
And he smote Moab, and measured them with the line casting, them down to the ground, and be measured with two lines to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive, - so the Moabites became David's, as servants, bringing gifts.
Benaiah also, son of Jehoiadah, son of an active man, hero of many a deed, a man of Kabzeel, he, smote the two sons of Ariel of Moab, he, also went down and smote a lion in the midst of a pit, on a day of snow;
But, King Solomon, loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, - women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, Hittites:
Then, did Solomon build a high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, - and for Molech, the abomination of the sons of Ammon;
Because they have forsaken me, and bowed themselves down to Ashtoreth, goddess of the Zidonians, to Chemosh, god of the Moabites, and to Milcom, god of the sons of Ammon, - and have not walked in my ways, by doing what is right in mine eyes, even my statutes and my regulations, like David his father.
Then Moab revolted against Israel, after the death of Ahab.
Now, Mesha king of Moab, was a sheep-master, - and used to render to the king of Israel, the wool of hundred thousand fat sheep, and of a hundred thousand rams. And it came to pass, when Ahab died, that the king of Moab revolted against the king of Israel.
So he took his firstborn son who was to have reigned in his stead, and offered him up as an ascending-sacrifice upon the wall. And so it came to pass that there was great indignation against Israel. And they brake up from against him, and returned to their own land.
And Elisha died, and they buried him, - now, troops of Moabites, used to enter the land, at the coming in of the year;
and, the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of destruction, which Solomon king of Israel had built unto Ashtoreth - the abomination of the Zidonians, and unto Chemosh - the abomination of the Moabites, and unto Milcom - the disgusting thing of the sons of Ammon, did the king defile;
And Yahweh sent against him troops of Chaldeans, and troops of Syrians, and troops of Moabites, and troops of the sons of Ammon, yea he sent them against Judah, to destroy him, - according to the word of Yahweh, which he spake through his servants the prophets.
the sons of Shelah, the son of Judah, Er, the father of Lecah, and Laadah, the father of Mareshah, - and the families of the house of them that wrought fine linen, of the house of Ashbea; and Jokim, and the men of Cozeba, and Joash, and Saraph who ruled for Moab, and Jashubi-lehem, - but, the records, are ancient. read more. They, were the potters and the inhabitants of Netaim, and Gederah, - with the king in his work, dwelt they there.
But they dealt unfaithfully with the God of their fathers, - and went unchastely after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God destroyed from before them; so the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria, and he took them away captive, even the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh, - and brought them in unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river of Gozan, unto this day.
And, Shaharaim, begat children in the field of Moab, after he had sent away Hushim and Baara his wives. Then begat he, of Hodesh his wife, - Jobab, and Zibia, and Mesha, and Malcam; read more. and Jeuz, and Sachia, and Mirmah, - these, were his sons, ancestral chiefs.
Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, son of a man of valour, hero of many a deed, from Kabziel - he, smote the two sons of Ariel of Moab, he, also went down and smote a lion in the midst of a pit, in time of snow;
Eliel, the Mahavite, and Jeribai and Joshaviah, sons of Elnaam, - and Ithmah the Moabite;
And it came to pass, after this, that the sons of Moab and the sons of Ammon, and, with them, some of the Meunim, came against Jehoshaphat, to battle. And there came some and told Jehoshaphat, saying, There is coming against thee, a great multitude from beyond the sea, from Syria, - and lo! they are in Hazazon-tamar, the same, is Engedi. read more. And Jehoshaphat was afraid, and set his face to seek unto Yahweh, - and proclaimed a fast for all Judah. And Judah gathered themselves together, to enquire of Yahweh, - even, out of all the cities of Judah, came they in, to seek Yahweh. And Jehoshaphat stood, in the convocation of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of Yahweh, - before the new court; and said, O Yahweh, God of our fathers, art not, thou, God in the heavens? and art, thou, not ruling throughout all the kingdoms of the nations? and, in thy hand, are there not strength and might? and is there any who, against thee, can stand? Art not, thou, our God, who didst dispossess the inhabitants of this land, from before thy people Israel, - and didst give it unto the seed of Abraham who loved thee, unto times age-abiding? and they have dwelt therein, - and have built for thee therein, a sanctuary for thy Name, saying: If there come upon us calamity, the sword of judgment or pestilence or famine, we will stand before this house and before thee, for, thy Name, is in this house, - that we may make outcry unto thee out of our distress, that thou mayest hear and save. Now, therefore, lo! the sons of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom thou didst not suffer Israel to invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, - but they turned away from them and destroyed them not, yea lo! they, are requiting us, - by coming to drive us out, from thy possession, which thou didst cause us to possess. O our God, wilt thou not bring judgment upon them, seeing that there is, in us, no strength, before this great multitude, that is coming against us, - we, therefore, know not what we shall do, but, unto thee, are our eyes. And, all Judah, were standing before Yahweh, - also their little ones, their wives and their children. Now, as for Jahaziel son of Zechariah son of Benaiah son of Jeiel son of Mattaniah a Levite, of the sons of Asaph, there came upon him the spirit of Yahweh, in the midst of the convocation: and he said, Give ye heed, all Judah and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat! Thus, saith Yahweh unto you. As for you, do not fear nor be dismayed, by reason of this great multitude, for, not yours, is the battle, but, God's. To-morrow, go ye down against them, for lo! there they are coming up by the ascent of Ziz, - and ye shall find them at the end of the ravine, facing the wilderness of Jeruel. It is not, for you, to fight in this matter, - take your station, stand still, and see the salvation of Yahweh with you, O Judah and Jerusalem, do not fear, nor be dismayed, to-morrow, go ye out to meet them, and, Yahweh, will be with you. And Jehoshaphat bowed his head, with his face to the ground, - and, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, fell down before Yahweh, prostrating themselves unto Yahweh. And Levites - of the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of the Korahites, stood up to offer praise unto Yahweh, God of Israel, with an exceedingly loud voice. So they rose early in the morning, and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa, - and, as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, Trust ye in Yahweh your God, and ye shall be trusted, Trust ye in his prophets, and ye shall prosper. And, when he had given counsel unto the people, he appointed such as should sing unto Yahweh, and offer praise with holy adorning, - as they should be going forth before the armed men, that they should be saying, O give thanks unto Yahweh, For, age-abiding, is his lovingkindness. And, when they began to sing and to praise, Yahweh had set liers-in-wait against the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who were coming against Judah, and they were smitten. Then rose up the sons of Ammon and Moab against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, to devote and to destroy, - and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to cut off, every man his neighbour. So when, Judah, came near the watch-tower of the wilderness, - they turned towards the multitude, and lo! there they were, dead bodies fallen to the earth, with none to escape. And, when Jehoshaphat and his people came near to plunder the spoil of them, they found among them, in abundance, both riches and dead bodies and precious jewels, and they stripped off for themselves, beyond what they could carry away, - and they were three days plundering the spoil, for great it was. And, on the fourth day, they assembled themselves in the vale of Beracah, for there they blessed Yahweh, - on this account, was the name of that place called The Vale of Beracah - unto this day. Then turned every man of Judah and Jerusalem, with, Jehoshaphat, at their head, to go again to Jerusalem with joy, - for Yahweh had caused them to rejoice over their enemies. So they came to Jerusalem, with harps and with lyres, and with trumpets, - unto the house of Yahweh. And it came to pass that, the dread of God, was upon all the kingdoms of the countries,-when they heard, that Yahweh had fought against the enemies of Israel. So the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was quiet, - for his God, gave him rest, round about. Thus Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah, - thirty-five years old, was he when he began to reign, and, twenty-five years, reigned he in Jerusalem, and the, name of his mother, was Azubah, daughter of Shilhi. And he walked in the way of his father Asa, and turned not from it, - doing that which was right, in the eyes of Yahweh. Howbeit, the high places, were not taken away, - for as yet, the people, had not fixed their heart unto the God of their fathers. But, the rest of the story of Jehoshaphat, first and last, lo! there it is written in the story of Jehu son of Hanani, which hath been added to the book of the Kings of Israel. Yet, after this, did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, - he, was lawless in his doings;
And the Ammonites gave a present to Uzziah, - and his name went forth as far as the entering in of Egypt, for he shewed exceeding great strength.
The sons of Pahath-moab, belonging to the sons of Jeshua, Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve;
But, when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed at us, and poured contempt upon us, - and said, What is this thing which ye would do? against the king, would ye rebel?
But it came to pass, when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, it angered him, and he was greatly displeased, - and mocked the Jews;
And it came to pass, when it was reported to Sanballat and Tobiah and to Geshem the Arabian and to the rest of our enemies, that I had built the wall, and there was left therein no breach, - though, up to that time, the doors, had I not set up in the gates,
Moab, is my wash-bowl, Upon Edom, will I throw my shoe, Over Philistia! raise shout of triumph.
Gebal and Ammon, and Amalek, The Philistines, with the dwellers in Tyre; Even Assyria hath joined herself with them, They have become an arm to the sons of Lot. Selah.
But they shall fly on the wing of the Philistines in the west, Together, shall they make prey of the sons of the east, - On Edom and Moab, putting forth their hand, With the sons of Ammon hearkening unto them.
Send ye the lamb due to the ruler of the land, From Sela towards the desert, - Unto the mount of the daughter of Zion;
We have heard of the arrogance of Moab, Proud exceedingly! His haughtiness and his arrogance and his passion, Not true, are his boastings. Therefore shall, Moab, howl for, Moab, All that belong to her, shall wail, - For the ruins of Kir-hareseth, shall they moan out Utterly stricken!
But now, hath Yahweh spoken saying, In three years, - as the years of a hireling, shall the glory of Moab be diminished, with all the great multitude, - even a very small remnant, of no account.
For the hand of Yahweh will settle down in this mountain, - Then shall Moab be trodden down in its place, Like the treading down of a strawheap in the water of a dunghill; Should he spread forth his hands in the midst thereof, As a swimmer spreadeth forth to swim, Then would be laid low his pride, together with the devices of his hands. read more. Yea, the lofty stronghold of thy walls, Hath he brought down - Laid low - Levelled to the ground even unto the dust.
Behold me! sending and fetching all the families of the North, Declareth Yahweh and Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon my servant, And I will bring them in against this land and against its inhabitants, and against all these nations, round about, - And I will devote them to destruction, and make them an astonishment and a hissing, and age-abiding desolations. And I will banish from among them - The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, The voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, - The sound of the millstones, and the light of the lamp: read more. So shall all this land become a desolation, an astonishment, And these nations shall serve the king of Babylon, seventy years. And it shall some to pass - When the seventy years are fulfilled, I will visit upon the king of Babylon and upon that nation, Declareth Yahweh their iniquity, and upon the land of the Chaldeans, - and I will turn it into age-abiding desolations. So will I bring upon that land, All my words which I have spoken against it, - Even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah hath prophesied against all the nations. For many nations and great kings have used, even them, as slaves, So will I recompense to them - According to their deed and According to the work of their own hands. For, thus, said Yahweh, God of Israel unto me, Take this cup of indignation wine out of my hand, - and cause all the nations unto whom I am sending thee, to drink it: Yea they shall drink and reel to and fro and act as madmen, because of the sword which I am sending between them. So I took the cup out of the hand of Yahweh, - and caused all the nations unto whom Yahweh had sent me to drink: to wit said he - Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and her kings her princes, - making them a desolation, an astonishment, a hissing, and a contempt, as at this day; Pharaoh king of Egypt and his servants and his princes, and all his people; And all the Bedawin, and all the kings of the land of Uz, - and all the kings of the land of the Philistines, even Ashkelon, and Gaza, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod; Edom and Moab, and the sons of Ammon;
In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, came this word unto Jeremiah, from Yahweh, saying: Thus, said Yahweh unto me, Make thee, bonds and bars, and put them upon thine own neck. read more. Then shalt thou send them unto the king of Edom and unto the king of Moab and unto the king of the sons of Ammon, and unto the king of Tyre and unto the king of Zidon, - by the hand of messengers coming into Jerusalem, unto Zedekiah king of Judah. And thou shall give them charge unto their lords saying, - Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts God of Israel, Thus shall ye say unto your lords: - I, made The earth - The man and the beast that are on the face of the earth - By my great power, And by mine outstretched arm, - And gave it to whomsoever was right in mine own eyes. Now, therefore, I, have given all these lands, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon my servant, - Moreover also, the wild beast of the field, have I given him, to serve him. Therefore shall all the nations serve him, and his son, and his sons son, - until the time even of his own land, itself arrive, when many nations and great kings, shall use him as a slave. And it shall come to pass that, the nation or kingdom which will not serve him, even Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and that will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, - with sword and with famine, and with pestilence, will I bring punishment upon that nation, Declareth Yahweh, until I have consumed them by his hand.
for falsehood, are they prophesying unto you, that ye may be far removed from off your own soil, and I drive you out, and ye be destroyed But the nation that shall bring its neck into the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let them remain in quietness upon their own soil, Declareth Yahweh, and they shall till it, and dwell therein.
Make ye him drunken, Because against Yahweh, hath he magnified himself; So shall, Moab, stagger, into his own vomit, And shall become a derision, even he!
We have heard the arrogance of Moab - proud exceedingly: His loftiness and his arrogance and his majesty, and his elevation of heart!
In the shadow of Heshbon, stand strengthless, the fugitives, - For, a fire, hath gone forth out of Heshbon And shall flame out of the midst of Sihon, And shall devour the beard of Moab, And the crown of the head of the proudly tumultuous.
Of the sons of Ammon-Thus saith Yahweh: Hath Israel no, sons? Hath he no, heir? Why hath, Malkam, taken possession of Gad, Or have, his people, in the cities thereof, made their dwelling?
Thus saith My Lord Yahweh: Because Moab and Seir say, Lo! like all the nations, is the house of Judah. Therefore, behold me! laying open the side of Moab out of the cities, Out of his cities on his frontiers, The beauty of the land of Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon, and Kiriathaim: read more. To the Sons of the East when they come against the sons of Ammon, and I will deliver it up for possession,-to the end the sons of Ammon may not be remembered among the nations: Also upon Moab, will I execute judgments,- So shall they know that I, am Yahweh.
yea he will enter the beautiful land, and, many lands , shall be laid low, - but, these, shall be delivered out of his hand, Edom and Moab, and the first portion of the sons of Ammon;
Thus, saith Yahweh, Because of three transgressions of Moab, and because of four, will I not turn it back, - Because he burned the bones of the King of Edom to lime,
O my people! remember, I pray you, what Balak king of Moab, counseled, and what Balaam son of Beer, answered him, - from the Acacias as far as Gilgal, that ye may know the righteousness of Yahweh. Wherewith, shall I come before Yahweh? bow myself to God on high? Shall I come before him with ascending-sacrifice? with calves of a year old? read more. Will Yahweh, be pleased, with thousands of rams? with myriads of torrents of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression? the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath told thee, O son of earth, what is good, - what then is, Yahweh, seeking of thee, but, to do justice, to delight in lovingkindness, and humbly to walk with thy God?
I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the sons of Ammon, - who have reproached my people, and have magnified themselves up to their bounds.
Ye sentenced - ye murdered the Righteous one! Is he not arraying himself against you?
Morish
Mo'ab Moabites. Mo'abites
Son of Lot and his eldest daughter; his descendants; and the land which they inhabited. Ge 19:37. No account is given of Moab personally. The territory of his descendants was on the east of the Salt Sea. When the tribe of Reuben obtained their possession, their boundary on the south was the river Arnon, which river was the northern boundary of the Moabites, for they had been driven south by the Amorites before the arrival of Israel. Nu 21:11-30. When the Israelites approached the promised land they were directed not to distress nor contend with Moab, De 2:9, so they passed to the east of them. The Moabites were however filled with terror when they heard that the Amorites had been smitten, and Balak their king hired Balaam to curse Israel. Balaam was compelled by God to bless them instead of cursing them, but he gave to Balak the fatal advice to try to weaken them by seductive alliances (which would cause them to fall under the Lord's discipline), and this, alas, was only too successful: cf. Re 2:14. It was in a valley in the land of Moab that Moses was secretly buried. De 34:6.
In the time of the judges God used Eglon king of Moab to punish Israel, and they served the Moabites eighteen years; but when they cried unto the Lord, He delivered them, and ten thousand of the Moabites were slain. Jg 3:12-30. The relations of Israel with the Moabites were varied. In the prophecy of Isaiah 16 Moab is characteristic of the world in which outcast Israel is hidden: Elimelech and Naomi fled thither from the famine, and David, when Saul was persecuting him, entrusted to their king his father and mother. During his subsequent reign David defeated them and made them tributary. 1Sa 22:3-4; 2Sa 8:2; 1Ch 18:2.
In the time of Jehoshaphat the children of Moab, Ammon and mount Seir attacked Judah, but God made the battle His own and caused them to attack one another. 2Ch 20:1-23. During Ahab's reign they were again tributary, but at his death they threw off their allegiance, but were completely subdued by the united forces of Israel, Judah and Edom. In desperation the king of Moab offered up his eldest son as a sacrifice. 2Ki 3:4-27. They revived to some extent, but were again subdued by Nebuchadnezzar. Jer 27:1-11.
Ruth was a MOABITESS, and so also were some of Solomon's wives, for whom he introduced into Jerusalem the worship of Chemosh the idol of Moab. 2Ki 23:13. The Moabites were not allowed to be received into the congregation of the Lord for ever. De 23:3. The numerous ruins extant in the country of the Moabites show that it was once populously occupied, and it must have been wealthy to have annually paid Israel 100,000 lambs and 100,000 rams with the wool.
Moab is denounced in the prophets: it had reproached God's people, and He declared that it should be as Sodom, as the breeding of nettles and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation. Zep 2:8-9. This is its state at present. In the future the king of the north shall enter "into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon," Da 11:40-41; these will be left for Israel to punish: cf. Isa 11:14.
THE MOABITE STONE. In connection with Moab an interesting monument was discovered in 1868 at Dibon (Dhiban) in the land of Moab. It was a stone 3ft. 10in. by 2ft., and contained 34 lines of inscription in the Phoenician character. When the Arabs discovered that two or three nations were desirous of possessing the stone they thought they should gain more by breaking it into pieces: a fire was kindled beneath it, and, when heated, cold water was poured on the top, which broke it. Eventually about two thirds of these pieces were obtained, and are now in the Museum of the Louvre in Paris: a paper cast is in the British Museum. A paper impression had been taken of the stone before it was broken, which, with the pieces recovered, renders it possible to give a nearly complete translation of the inscription.
It is dedicated to Chemosh, the god of Moab, by Mesha. He admits that Chemosh was angry with his land, and that Omri king of Israel took it, and he and his son oppressed them forty years. Then Chemosh had mercy on it, and the king was able to rescue some of the cities, kill the people, and take the spoil, and he built others, of which he gives the names. There can be no doubt that the Mesha of the stone is the same as the Mesha, of scripture. The son of Omri would be Ahab; and in 2Ki 3:5 it says that on the death of Ahab the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. Ahaziah succeeded Ahab, but it was not he that attacked Moab: his reign (called two years) and the beginning of the reign of Jehoram, would give Mesha time to strengthen himself against Israel and attack some of the outlying cities. Scripture is thus confirmed by this interesting monument.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab, - the same, is the father of Moab, unto this day.
And they brake up from Oboth, - and encamped in Ije-Abarim, in the desert which is over against Moab, towards the rising of the sun. From thence, brake they up, - and encamped in the ravine of Zered. read more. From thence, brake they up, and encamped on the other side of Arnon which is in the desert, that cometh forth out of the boundary of the Amorites, - for, Arnon, is the boundary of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. For this cause is it said, in the Book of the Wars of Yahweh, - -- Waheb with a hurricane, And the ravines of Arnon; And the bottom of the ravines, that extendeth toward the dwelling of Ar, - And adjoineth to the boundary of Moab, And from thence, towards Beer, - the same, is the well whereof Yahweh said unto Moses, Gather together the people, that I may give them water. Then, sang Israel this song, - Spring thou up, O well! Respond ye thereunto; A well! - princes digged it, Nobles of the people, delved it, With a sceptre, With their staves. And, from the desert, to Mattanah; and from Mattanah, to Nahaliel; and from Nahaliel, to Bamoth; and, from Bamoth of the valley, which is in the field-country of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, - which over-looketh Jeshimon. Then sent Israel messengers, unto Sihon king of the Amorites, saying: Let me pass through thy land we will not turn aside into field or into vineyard, nor will we drink the water of a well, - by the kings road, will we go, until we get through thy boundary. And Sihon suffered not Israel to pass through his boundary, but Sihon gathered together all his people, and came forth to meet Israel, towards the desert, and entered Jahaz, and fought with Israel. And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, - and took possession of his land, from Arnon unto Jabbok, unto the sons of Ammon, for strong, was the boundary of the sons of Ammon. So Israel took all these cities, - and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon and in all her villages; for, as for Heshbon, the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, it was, he, having fought with the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, unto Arnon. For this cause, say the poets - Enter ye Heshbon, - Built and prepared be the city of Sihon; For, a fire, hath come forth out of Heshbon, A flame, out of the stronghold of Sihon; It hath consumed Ar of Moab, The lords of the high places of Arnon. Woe to thee, Moab, Thou art lost, O people of Chemosh, - He hath given up his sons as fugitives, And his daughters into captivity, Unto the king of the Amorites, Sihon. Then we shot them - Heshbon is destroyed, as far as Dibon, - Then laid we waste as far as Nophah, A fire reacheth unto Medeba.
And Yahweh said unto me - Do not lay siege to Moab, nor engage in strife with them in battle, - for I will not give unto thee of his and as a possession, for unto the sons of Lot, have I given Ar, as a possession.
Neither an Ammonite nor a Moabite shall enter into the convocation of Yahweh, - even to the tenth generation, shall none that belong to them enter into the convocation of Yahweh, unto times age-abiding:
and he buried him, in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor, - but no man hath known his burying-place, until this day.
And the sons of Israel again did the thing that was wicked, in the sight of Yahweh, - and Yahweh emboldened Eglon, king of Moab, against Israel, because they did the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh; and he gathered unto him, the sons of Ammon, and Amalek, - and came and smote Israel, and took possession of the city of palm-trees. read more. So the sons of Israel served Eglon king of Moab, eighteen years. And the sons of Israel made outcry unto Yahweh, and Yahweh raised up unto them a saviour, Ehud son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man left-handed, - and the sons of Israel sent, by his hand, a present, unto Eglon king of Moab. So Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length, - and girded it under his raiment, upon his right thigh. So he offered the present unto Eglon, king of Moab, - now, Eglon, was an exceedingly fat man. And so it was, when he had made an end of offering the present, that he sent away the people who had been bearing the present; but, he himself, turned back from the images that were by Gilgal, and said, A secret word, have I, unto thee, O king! And he said - Silence! Thereupon went out from his presence all who had been standing near him. And, Ehud, came in unto him, he, having been sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself, alone, and Ehud said, A divine word, have I, unto thee. So he arose from off his seat. And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from off his right thigh, - and thrust it into his body; and, the handle also, went in after the blade, and the flesh closed upon the blade, for he withdrew not the sword out of his body, - and he came out into the ante-chamber. And, when Ehud came out into the porch, he closed the doors of the parlour upon him, and bolted them. When, he, had come out, his servants, went in, and looked, and lo! the doors of the parlour were bolted, - so they said, Surely he covereth his feet, in the summer chamber. But, though they tarried a long time, yet lo! he opened not the doors of the parlour, - so they took the key, and opened them , when lo! their lord, fallen to the ground dead. But, Ehud, escaped while they delayed, - yea, he, passed the images, and escaped into Seirah. And so it was, when he came, that he blew with a horn, throughout the hill country of Ephraim, - and the sons of Israel came down with him, out of the hill country, he, being before them. And he said unto them - Come down after me, for Yahweh hath delivered your enemies, the Moabites, into your hand. So they came down after him, and captured the fords of the Jordan, towards Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over. And they smote of Moab, at that time, about ten thousand men, every one a mighty man, and every one a man of valour, - and, there escaped not a man. And Moab was subdued on that day, under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest eighty years, and Ehud judged them until his death.
And David departed thence, to Mizpah of Moab, - and said unto the king of Moab, I pray thee, let my father and my mother dwell with you, until that I know what God will do for me. So he set them before the king of Moab, - and they dwelt with him, all the days that David was in the fortress.
Now, Mesha king of Moab, was a sheep-master, - and used to render to the king of Israel, the wool of hundred thousand fat sheep, and of a hundred thousand rams. And it came to pass, when Ahab died, that the king of Moab revolted against the king of Israel.
And it came to pass, when Ahab died, that the king of Moab revolted against the king of Israel. So King Jehoram went forth, on that day, out of Samaria, and numbered all Israel. read more. And he departed, and sent unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, saying - The king of Moab, hath revolted against me, wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said - I will go up, I am as thou art, my people are as thy people, my horses as thy horses. And he said - Which way, then, shall we go up? And he said - The way of the wilderness of Edom. Then departed the king of Israel, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom, and went round, a journey of seven days, - and there was no water for the host, nor for the cattle that went with them. Then said the king of Israel - Alas! for Yahweh hath called these three kings, to deliver them into the hand of Moab. So Jehoshaphat said - Is there not, here, a prophet of Yahweh, that we may enquire of Yahweh, from him? Then answered one of the servants of the king of Israel, and said, Here, is Elisha son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah. Then said Jehoshaphat, The word of Yahweh, is with him. So the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom, went down unto him. And Elisha said unto the king of Israel - What have I and thou in common? get thee unto the prophets of thy father, and unto the prophets of thy mother. But the king of Israel said to him - Nay! for Yahweh hath called together these three kings, to deliver them into the hand of Moab. Then said Elisha - By the life of Yahweh of hosts, before whom I stand, were it not that, the countenance of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would lift up, I would neither look at thee, nor see thee. But, now, bring me one that can touch the strings. For it used to be, when the player touched the strings, then would, the hand of Yahweh, be upon him. Then said he, Thus, saith Yahweh, Make, in this torrent-bed, pits, pits! For, thus, saith Yahweh - Ye shall not see wind, and ye shall not see rain, yet, that torrent-bed, shall be filled with water, - And ye shall drink, ye, and your cattle, and your beasts; And, this being a small thing in the eyes of Yahweh, he will deliver Moab into your hand; And ye shall smite every strong city, and every choice city, and, every goodly tree, shall ye fell, and, all fountains water, shall ye close up, - and, every goodly heritage, shall ye mar with stones. And it came to pass, in the morning, when the offering ascended, that lo! waters, were coming in from the way of Edom, - and the land was filled with the water. Now, all Moab, had heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, - so they came together, from all who could gird on a girdle and upwards, and took their stand at the border. And, when they rose early in the morning, the sun, shone forth upon the waters, - and so the Moabites beheld over against them, the waters, red as blood. They said therefore - Blood, - this! Destroyed! The kings have destroyed each other! Yea they have smitten every man his neighbour, - Now, then, to the spoil, O Moab! And, when they came into the camp of Israel, Israel arose and smote Moab, and they fled from before them, - so they entered thereinto, yea still farther entered Moab; And, the cities, they pulled down, and, on every goodly heritage, they cast every man his stone, and filled it, and, all fountains of waters, they closed up, and, every goodly tree, they felled, and, though they left the stones thereof in Kir-haraseth, yet the slingers surrounded and smote it. And, when the king of Moab saw that, the battle, prevailed against him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through against the king of Edom, but they could not. So he took his firstborn son who was to have reigned in his stead, and offered him up as an ascending-sacrifice upon the wall. And so it came to pass that there was great indignation against Israel. And they brake up from against him, and returned to their own land.
and, the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of destruction, which Solomon king of Israel had built unto Ashtoreth - the abomination of the Zidonians, and unto Chemosh - the abomination of the Moabites, and unto Milcom - the disgusting thing of the sons of Ammon, did the king defile;
And it came to pass, after this, that the sons of Moab and the sons of Ammon, and, with them, some of the Meunim, came against Jehoshaphat, to battle. And there came some and told Jehoshaphat, saying, There is coming against thee, a great multitude from beyond the sea, from Syria, - and lo! they are in Hazazon-tamar, the same, is Engedi. read more. And Jehoshaphat was afraid, and set his face to seek unto Yahweh, - and proclaimed a fast for all Judah. And Judah gathered themselves together, to enquire of Yahweh, - even, out of all the cities of Judah, came they in, to seek Yahweh. And Jehoshaphat stood, in the convocation of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of Yahweh, - before the new court; and said, O Yahweh, God of our fathers, art not, thou, God in the heavens? and art, thou, not ruling throughout all the kingdoms of the nations? and, in thy hand, are there not strength and might? and is there any who, against thee, can stand? Art not, thou, our God, who didst dispossess the inhabitants of this land, from before thy people Israel, - and didst give it unto the seed of Abraham who loved thee, unto times age-abiding? and they have dwelt therein, - and have built for thee therein, a sanctuary for thy Name, saying: If there come upon us calamity, the sword of judgment or pestilence or famine, we will stand before this house and before thee, for, thy Name, is in this house, - that we may make outcry unto thee out of our distress, that thou mayest hear and save. Now, therefore, lo! the sons of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom thou didst not suffer Israel to invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, - but they turned away from them and destroyed them not, yea lo! they, are requiting us, - by coming to drive us out, from thy possession, which thou didst cause us to possess. O our God, wilt thou not bring judgment upon them, seeing that there is, in us, no strength, before this great multitude, that is coming against us, - we, therefore, know not what we shall do, but, unto thee, are our eyes. And, all Judah, were standing before Yahweh, - also their little ones, their wives and their children. Now, as for Jahaziel son of Zechariah son of Benaiah son of Jeiel son of Mattaniah a Levite, of the sons of Asaph, there came upon him the spirit of Yahweh, in the midst of the convocation: and he said, Give ye heed, all Judah and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat! Thus, saith Yahweh unto you. As for you, do not fear nor be dismayed, by reason of this great multitude, for, not yours, is the battle, but, God's. To-morrow, go ye down against them, for lo! there they are coming up by the ascent of Ziz, - and ye shall find them at the end of the ravine, facing the wilderness of Jeruel. It is not, for you, to fight in this matter, - take your station, stand still, and see the salvation of Yahweh with you, O Judah and Jerusalem, do not fear, nor be dismayed, to-morrow, go ye out to meet them, and, Yahweh, will be with you. And Jehoshaphat bowed his head, with his face to the ground, - and, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, fell down before Yahweh, prostrating themselves unto Yahweh. And Levites - of the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of the Korahites, stood up to offer praise unto Yahweh, God of Israel, with an exceedingly loud voice. So they rose early in the morning, and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa, - and, as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, Trust ye in Yahweh your God, and ye shall be trusted, Trust ye in his prophets, and ye shall prosper. And, when he had given counsel unto the people, he appointed such as should sing unto Yahweh, and offer praise with holy adorning, - as they should be going forth before the armed men, that they should be saying, O give thanks unto Yahweh, For, age-abiding, is his lovingkindness. And, when they began to sing and to praise, Yahweh had set liers-in-wait against the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who were coming against Judah, and they were smitten. Then rose up the sons of Ammon and Moab against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, to devote and to destroy, - and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to cut off, every man his neighbour.
But they shall fly on the wing of the Philistines in the west, Together, shall they make prey of the sons of the east, - On Edom and Moab, putting forth their hand, With the sons of Ammon hearkening unto them.
In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, came this word unto Jeremiah, from Yahweh, saying: Thus, said Yahweh unto me, Make thee, bonds and bars, and put them upon thine own neck. read more. Then shalt thou send them unto the king of Edom and unto the king of Moab and unto the king of the sons of Ammon, and unto the king of Tyre and unto the king of Zidon, - by the hand of messengers coming into Jerusalem, unto Zedekiah king of Judah. And thou shall give them charge unto their lords saying, - Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts God of Israel, Thus shall ye say unto your lords: - I, made The earth - The man and the beast that are on the face of the earth - By my great power, And by mine outstretched arm, - And gave it to whomsoever was right in mine own eyes. Now, therefore, I, have given all these lands, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon my servant, - Moreover also, the wild beast of the field, have I given him, to serve him. Therefore shall all the nations serve him, and his son, and his sons son, - until the time even of his own land, itself arrive, when many nations and great kings, shall use him as a slave. And it shall come to pass that, the nation or kingdom which will not serve him, even Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and that will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, - with sword and with famine, and with pestilence, will I bring punishment upon that nation, Declareth Yahweh, until I have consumed them by his hand. Ye, therefore do not ye hearken unto your prophets, nor unto your diviners, nor unto your dreams, nor unto your users of hidden arts nor unto your mutterers of incantations, - in that, they, are speaking unto you saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon; for falsehood, are they prophesying unto you, that ye may be far removed from off your own soil, and I drive you out, and ye be destroyed But the nation that shall bring its neck into the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let them remain in quietness upon their own soil, Declareth Yahweh, and they shall till it, and dwell therein.
And, in the time of the end, will the king of the south, push at him, and the king of the north, will rush against him, with chariots and with horsemen, and with many ships, - and he will enter the lands, and overwhelm and pass over; yea he will enter the beautiful land, and, many lands , shall be laid low, - but, these, shall be delivered out of his hand, Edom and Moab, and the first portion of the sons of Ammon;
I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the sons of Ammon, - who have reproached my people, and have magnified themselves up to their bounds. Wherefore, as I live, declareth Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, Surely, Moab, like Sodom, shall become, and, the sons of Ammon, like Gomorrah, a possession for the thorn, and a pit of salt, Yea a desolation, unto times age-abiding: The remnant of my people, shall make of them a prey, and, the residue of my nation, shall inherit them.
Nevertheless, I have against thee, a few things, - that thou hast there, such as hold fast the teaching of Balaam, - who went on to teach Balak to throw a cause of stumbling before the sons of Israel, to eat idol-sacrifices and to commit lewdness:
Smith
Mo'ab
(of his father), Mo'abites. Moab was the son of the Lot's eldest daughter, the progenitor of the Moabites. Zoar was the cradle of the race of Lot. From this centre the brother tribes spread themselves. The Moabites first inhabited the rich highlands which crown the eastern side of the chasm of the Dead Sea, extending as far north as the mountain of Gilead, from which country they expelled the Emims, the original inhabitants,
De 2:11
but they themselves were afterward driven southward by the warlike Amorites, who had crossed the Jordan, and were confined to the country south of the river Arnon, which formed their northern boundary.
The territory occupied by Moab at the period of its greatest extent, before the invasion of the Amorites, divided itself naturally into three distinct and independent portions:-- (1) The enclosed corner or canton south of the Arnon was the "field of Moab."
etc. (2) The more open rolling country north of the Arnon, opposite Jericho, and up to the hills of Gilead, was the "land of Moab."
De 1:5; 32:49
etc. (3) The sunk district in the tropical depths of the Jordan valley.
etc. The Israelites, in entering the promised land, did not pass through the Moabites,
but conquered the Amorites, who occupied the country from which the Moabites had been so lately expelled. After the conquest of Canaan the relations of Moab with Israel were of a mixed character, sometimes warlike and sometimes peaceable. With the tribe of Benjamin they had at least one severe struggle, in union with their kindred the Ammonites.
The story of Ruth, on the other hand, testifies to the existence of a friendly intercourse between Moab and Bethlehem, one of the towns of Judah. By his descent from Ruth, David may be said to have had Moabite blood in his veins. He committed his parents to the protection of the king of Moab, when hard pressed by Saul.
But here all friendly relations stop forever. The next time the name is mentioned is in the account of David's war, who made the Moabites tributary.
At the disruption of the kingdom Moab seems to have fallen to the northern realm. At the death of Ahab the Moabites refused to pay tribute and asserted their independence, making war upon the kingdom of Judah.
... As a natural consequence of the late events, Israel, Judah and Edom united in an attack on Moab, resulting in the complete overthrow of the Moabites. Falling back into their own country, they were followed and their cities and farms destroyed. Finally, shut up within the walls of his own capital, the king, Mesha, in the sight of the thousands who covered the sides of that vast amphitheater, killed and burnt his child as a propitiatory sacrifice to the cruel gods of his country. Isaiah, chs.
predicts the utter annihilation of the Moabites; and they are frequently denounced by the subsequent prophets. For the religion of the Moabites see CHEMOSH; MOLECH; PEOR.
See Chemosh
See Molech
See Peor
See also Tristram's "Land of Moab." Present condition. --(Noldeke says that the extinction of the Moabites was about A.D. 200, at the time when the Yemen tribes Galib and Gassara entered the eastern districts of the Jordan. Since A.D. 536 the last trace of the name Moab, which lingered in the town of Kir-moab, has given place to Kerak, its modern name. Over the whole region are scattered many ruins of ancient cities; and while the country is almost bare of larger vegetation, it is still a rich pasture-ground, with occasional fields of grain. The land thus gives evidence of its former wealth and power. --ED.)
See Verses Found in Dictionary
From thence, brake they up, and encamped on the other side of Arnon which is in the desert, that cometh forth out of the boundary of the Amorites, - for, Arnon, is the boundary of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.
Then did the sons of Israel break up, - and encamp in the waste plains of Moab, on the other side of the Jordan by Jericho.
over the Jordan, in the land of Moab, did Moses take in hand to expound this law, saying: -
Giants, used, they also, to be accounted like the Anakim, - but the Moabites, called them Emim.
Get thee up into this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, which is over against Jericho - and behold the land of Canaan which I am giving unto the sons of Israel, for a possession;
And the sons of Israel again did the thing that was wicked, in the sight of Yahweh, - and Yahweh emboldened Eglon, king of Moab, against Israel, because they did the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh; and he gathered unto him, the sons of Ammon, and Amalek, - and came and smote Israel, and took possession of the city of palm-trees. read more. So the sons of Israel served Eglon king of Moab, eighteen years. And the sons of Israel made outcry unto Yahweh, and Yahweh raised up unto them a saviour, Ehud son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man left-handed, - and the sons of Israel sent, by his hand, a present, unto Eglon king of Moab. So Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length, - and girded it under his raiment, upon his right thigh. So he offered the present unto Eglon, king of Moab, - now, Eglon, was an exceedingly fat man. And so it was, when he had made an end of offering the present, that he sent away the people who had been bearing the present; but, he himself, turned back from the images that were by Gilgal, and said, A secret word, have I, unto thee, O king! And he said - Silence! Thereupon went out from his presence all who had been standing near him. And, Ehud, came in unto him, he, having been sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself, alone, and Ehud said, A divine word, have I, unto thee. So he arose from off his seat. And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from off his right thigh, - and thrust it into his body; and, the handle also, went in after the blade, and the flesh closed upon the blade, for he withdrew not the sword out of his body, - and he came out into the ante-chamber. And, when Ehud came out into the porch, he closed the doors of the parlour upon him, and bolted them. When, he, had come out, his servants, went in, and looked, and lo! the doors of the parlour were bolted, - so they said, Surely he covereth his feet, in the summer chamber. But, though they tarried a long time, yet lo! he opened not the doors of the parlour, - so they took the key, and opened them , when lo! their lord, fallen to the ground dead. But, Ehud, escaped while they delayed, - yea, he, passed the images, and escaped into Seirah. And so it was, when he came, that he blew with a horn, throughout the hill country of Ephraim, - and the sons of Israel came down with him, out of the hill country, he, being before them. And he said unto them - Come down after me, for Yahweh hath delivered your enemies, the Moabites, into your hand. So they came down after him, and captured the fords of the Jordan, towards Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over. And they smote of Moab, at that time, about ten thousand men, every one a mighty man, and every one a man of valour, - and, there escaped not a man. And Moab was subdued on that day, under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest eighty years, and Ehud judged them until his death.
Then journeyed they through the desert, and went round the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and so came, from the rising of the sun, to the land of Moab, but encamped beyond Arnon, - and entered not within the boundary of Moab, for, Arnon, is the boundary of Moab.
Then journeyed they through the desert, and went round the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and so came, from the rising of the sun, to the land of Moab, but encamped beyond Arnon, - and entered not within the boundary of Moab, for, Arnon, is the boundary of Moab.
And it came to pass, in the days when the Judges administered justice, that there was a famine in the land, - and so a certain man went his way, out of Bethlehem-judah to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. And, the name of the man, was Elimelech, and, the name of his wife, Naomi, and, the name of his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion - Ephrathites out of Bethlehem-judah, - so they came into the country of Moab, and remained there.
Then she arose, she and her daughters-in-law, and returned out of the country of Moab, - for she had heard, in the country of Moab, how that Yahweh had visited his people, in giving unto them, bread.
And David departed thence, to Mizpah of Moab, - and said unto the king of Moab, I pray thee, let my father and my mother dwell with you, until that I know what God will do for me. So he set them before the king of Moab, - and they dwelt with him, all the days that David was in the fortress.
And he smote Moab, and measured them with the line casting, them down to the ground, and be measured with two lines to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive, - so the Moabites became David's, as servants, bringing gifts.
And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king, in his stead, for, all the elder sons, had the band of men slain who came in with the Arabians into the camp, - so Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned.
Watsons
Moab was the son of Lot, and of his eldest daughter,Ge 19:31, &c. He was born about the same time as Isaac, A.M. 2108, and was father of the Moabites, whose habitation lay beyond Jordan and the Dead Sea, on both sides of the river Arnon. Their capital city was situated on that river, and was called Ar or Areopolis, or Ariol of Moab, or Rabbah Moab, that is, the capital of Moab, or Kirharesh, that is, a city with brick walls. This country was originally possessed by a race of giants called Emim, De 2:11-12. The Moabites conquered them, and afterward the Amorites took a part from the Moabites, Jg 11:13. Moses conquered that part which belonged to the Amorites, and gave it to the tribe of Reuben. The Moabites were spared by Moses, for God had restricted him, De 2:9. But there always was a great antipathy between the Moabites and the Israelites, which occasioned many wars between them. Balaam seduced the Hebrews to idolatry and uncleanness, by means of the daughters of Moab, Nu 25:1-2; and Balak, king of this people, endeavoured to prevail on Balaam to curse Israel. God ordained that the Moabites should not enter into the congregation of his people, because they had the inhumanity to refuse the Israelites a passage through their country, nor would they supply them with bread and water in their necessity. Eglon, king of the Moabites, was one of the first that oppressed Israel after the death of Joshua. Ehud killed Eglon, and Israel expelled the Moabites, Jg 3:12, &c. Hanun king of the Ammonites having insulted David's ambassadors, David made war against him, and subdued Moab and Ammon; under which subjection they continued till the separation of the ten tribes. The Ammonites and the Moabites continued in subjection to the kings of Israel to the death of Ahab. Presently after the death of Ahab the Moabites began to revolt, 2Ki 3:4-5. Mesha, king of Moab, refused the tribute of a hundred thousand lambs, and as many rams, which till then had been customarily paid, either yearly, or at the beginning of every reign; which of these two is not clearly expressed in Scripture. The reign of Ahaziah was too short to make war with them; but Jehoram, son of Ahab, and brother to Ahaziah, having ascended the throne, thought of reducing them to obedience. He invited Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, who with the king of Edom, then his vassal, entered Moab, where they were near perishing with thirst, but were miraculously relieved, 2Ki 3:16, &c.
It is not easy to ascertain what were the circumstances of the Moabites from this time; but Isaiah, at the beginning of the reign of King Hezekiah, threatens them with a calamity, which was to happen three years after his prediction, and which probably referred to the war that Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, made with the ten tribes and the other people beyond Jordan. Am 1:13, &c, also foretold great miseries to them, which, probably, they suffered under Uzziah and Jothan, kings of Judah, or under Shalmaneser, 2Ch 26:7-8; 27:5; or, lastly, in the war of Nebuchadnezzar, five years after the destruction of Jerusalem. This prince carried them captive beyond the Euphrates, as the prophets had threatened, Jer 9:26; 12:14-15; 25:11-12; 48:47, &c; 49:3, 6, 39; 50:16; and Cyrus sent them home again, as he did the rest of the captives. After their return from captivity they multiplied, and fortified themselves, as the Jews did, and other neighbouring people, still in subjection to the kings of Persia. They were afterward conquered by Alexander the Great, and were in obedience to the kings of Syria and Egypt successively, and finally to the Romans. There is a probability, also that in the later times of the Jewish republic they obeyed the Asmonean kings, and afterward Herod the Great. The principal deities of the Moabites were Chemosh and Baal-peor.
The prophecies concerning Moab are numerous and remarkable. There are, says Keith, abundant predictions which refer so clearly to its modern state, that there is scarcely a single feature peculiar to the land of Moab, as it now exists, which was not marked by the prophets in their delineation of the low condition to which, from the height of its wickedness and haughtiness, it was finally to be brought down.
The land of Moab lay to the east and south-east of Judea, and bordered on the east, north-east, and partly on the south of the Dead Sea. Its early history is nearly analogous to that of Ammon; and the soil, though perhaps more diversified, is, in many places where the desert and plains of salt have not encroached on its borders, of equal fertility. There are manifest and abundant vestiges of its ancient greatness: the whole of the plains are covered with the sites of towns, on every eminence or spot convenient for the construction of one; and as the land is capable of rich cultivation, there can be no doubt that the country now so deserted once presented a continued picture of plenty and fertility. The form of fields is still visible; and there are the remains of Roman highways, which in some places are completely paved, and on which there are mile stones of the times of Trajan, Marcus Aurelius, and Severus, with the number of the miles legible upon them. Wherever any spot is cultivated the corn is luxuriant; and the riches of the soil cannot perhaps be more clearly illustrated than by the fact, that one grain of Heshbon wheat exceeds in dimensions two of the ordinary sort, and more than double the number of grains grow on the stalk. The frequency, and almost, in many instances, the close vicinity of the sites of the ancient towns, prove that the population of the country was formerly proportioned to its natural fertility. Such evidence may surely suffice to prove that the country was well cultivated and peopled at a period so long posterior to the date of the predictions, that no cause less than supernatural could have existed at the time when they were delivered, which could have authorized the assertion with the least probability or apparent possibility of its truth, that Moab would ever have been reduced to that state of great and permanent desolation in which it has continued for so many ages, and which vindicates and ratifies to this hour the truth of the Scriptural prophecies. The cities of Moab were to be "desolate without any to dwell therein;" no city was to escape: Moab was to "flee away." And the cities of Moab have all disappeared. Their place, together with the adjoining part of Idumea, is characterized, in the map of Volney's Travels, by the ruins of towns. His information respecting these ruins was derived from some of the wandering Arabs; and its accuracy has been fully corroborated by the testimony of different European travellers of high respectability and undoubted veracity, who have since visited this devastated region. The whole country abounds with ruins; and Burckhardt, who encountered many difficulties in so desolate and dangerous a land, thus records the brief history of a few of them: "The ruins of Eleale, Heshbon, Meon, Medaba, Dibon, Aroer, still subsist to illustrate the history of the Beni Israel." And it might with equal truth have been added, that they still subsist to confirm the inspiration of the Jewish Scriptures, or to prove that the seers of Israel were the prophets of God; for the desolation of each of these very cities was a theme of a prediction. Every thing worthy of observation respecting them has been detailed, not only in Burckhardt's "Travels in Syria," but also by Seetzen, and, more recently, by Captains Irby and Mangles, who, along with Mr. Bankes and Mr. Leigh, visited this deserted district. The predicted judgment has fallen with such truth upon these cities, and upon all the cities of the land of Moab far and near, and they are so utterly "broken down," that even the prying curiosity of such indefatigable travellers could discover among a multiplicity of ruins only a few remains so entire as to be worthy of particular notice. The subjoined description is drawn from their united testimony: Among the ruins of El Aal (Eleale) are a number of large cisterns, fragments of buildings, and foundations of houses. At Heshban, (Heshbon,) are the ruins of a large ancien
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And the firstborn said unto the younger. Our father is old, - and, a man, there is not in the earth to come in unto us, after the way of all the earth.
And Israel remained among the acacias, - and the people began to go away unchastely unto the daughters of Moab; who invited the people unto the sacrifices of their gods, - so the people did eat, and did bow themselves down unto their gods.
And Yahweh said unto me - Do not lay siege to Moab, nor engage in strife with them in battle, - for I will not give unto thee of his and as a possession, for unto the sons of Lot, have I given Ar, as a possession.
Giants, used, they also, to be accounted like the Anakim, - but the Moabites, called them Emim. And in Seir, dwelt the Horim aforetime, but, the sons of Esau, dispossessed them, and destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their stead, - as did Israel unto the land of his own possession, which Yahweh had given unto them.
And the sons of Israel again did the thing that was wicked, in the sight of Yahweh, - and Yahweh emboldened Eglon, king of Moab, against Israel, because they did the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh;
And the king of the sons of Ammon said unto the messengers of Jephthah - Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto the Jabbok, and unto the Jordan, - now, therefore, restore them in peace.
Now, Mesha king of Moab, was a sheep-master, - and used to render to the king of Israel, the wool of hundred thousand fat sheep, and of a hundred thousand rams. And it came to pass, when Ahab died, that the king of Moab revolted against the king of Israel.
And God helped him against the Philistines and against the Arabians who dwelt in Gur-baal, and the Meunim. And the Ammonites gave a present to Uzziah, - and his name went forth as far as the entering in of Egypt, for he shewed exceeding great strength.
He, also made war against the king of the sons of Ammon, and prevailed against them, and the sons of Ammon gave him, during that year, a hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of wheat, and, of barley, ten thousand, - this, did the sons of Ammon render him, both in the second year, and the third.
Upon Egypt and upon Judah, And upon Edom, and upon the sons of Ammon, And upon Moab, And upon all the clipped beards, The dwellers in the desert, - For, all the nations, are uncircumcised, And, all the house of Israel, are uncircumcised in heart.
Thus, saith Yahweh, Concerning all my wicked neighbours, who have been touching the inheritance which I gave as an inheritance unto my people Israel, - Behold me! uprooting them from off their own soil, Whereas the house of Judah, will I uproot out of their midst. And it shall come to pass after I bare uprooted them, I will again have compassion upon them, - and will bring them back - Every man - to his own inheritance and Every man - to his own land.
So shall all this land become a desolation, an astonishment, And these nations shall serve the king of Babylon, seventy years. And it shall some to pass - When the seventy years are fulfilled, I will visit upon the king of Babylon and upon that nation, Declareth Yahweh their iniquity, and upon the land of the Chaldeans, - and I will turn it into age-abiding desolations.
Yet will I bring back the captivity of Moab, In the afterpart of the days, Declareth Yahweh, Thus far, is the sentence of Moab.
Thus, saith Yahweh, Because of three transgressions of the sons of Ammon, and because of four, will I not turn it back, - Because of their ripping up the pregnant women of Gilead, that they might enlarge their own boundary,