Reference: Moabite
Easton
the designation of a tribe descended from Moab, the son of Lot (Ge 19:37). From Zoar, the cradle of this tribe, on the south-eastern border of the Dead Sea, they gradually spread over the region on the east of Jordan. Rameses II., the Pharaoh of the Oppression, enumerates Moab (Muab) among his conquests. Shortly before the Exodus, the warlike Amorites crossed the Jordan under Sihon their king and drove the Moabites (Nu 21:26-30) out of the region between the Arnon and the Jabbok, and occupied it, making Heshbon their capital. They were then confined to the territory to the south of the Arnon.
On their journey the Israelites did not pass through Moab, but through the "wilderness" to the east (De 2:8; Jg 11:18), at length reaching the country to the north of the Arnon. Here they remained for some time till they had conquered Bashan (see Sihon; Og). The Moabites were alarmed, and their king, Balak, sought aid from the Midianites (Nu 22:2-4). It was while they were here that the visit of Balaam (q.v.) to Balak took place. (See Moses.)
After the Conquest, the Moabites maintained hostile relations with the Israelites, and frequently harassed them in war (Jg 3:12-30; 1Sa 14). The story of Ruth, however, shows the existence of friendly relations between Moab and Bethlehem. By his descent from Ruth, David may be said to have had Moabite blood in his veins. Yet there was war between David and the Moabites (2Sa 8:2; 23:20; 1Ch 18:2), from whom he took great spoil (2Sa 8:2,11-12; 1Ch 11:22; 18:11).
During the one hundred and fifty years which followed the defeat of the Moabites, after the death of Ahab (see Mesha), they regained, apparently, much of their former prosperty. At this time Isaiah (Isa 15:1) delivered his "burden of Moab," predicting the coming of judgment on that land (comp. 2Ki 17:3; 18:9; 1Ch 5:25-26). Between the time of Isaiah and the commencement of the Babylonian captivity we have very seldom any reference to Moab (Jer 25:21; 27:3; 40:11; Zep 2:8-10).
After the Return, it was Sanballat, a Moabite, who took chief part in seeking to prevent the rebuilding of Jerusalem (Ne 2:19; 4:1; 6:1).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And the elder bare a son and called him Moab, which is the father of the Moabites unto this day.
For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites which Sihon had fought before with the king of the Moabites, and had taken all his land out of his hand, even unto Arnon. Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say: "Go to Heshbon and let the city of Sihon be built and made ready! read more. For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, and a flame from the city of Sihon, and hath consumed Ar of the Moabites and the men of the hills of Arnon! Woe be to thee, Moab! O people of Chemosh, ye are forlorn! His sons are put to flight and his daughters brought captive unto Sihon, king of the Amorites! Their light is out, from Heshbon unto Dibon! And we made a wilderness even unto Nophah, which reacheth unto Medeba!"
And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, and the Moabites were sore afraid of the people, because they were many; and abhorred the children of Israel. read more. And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, "Now this company hath licked up all that are round about us, as an ox licketh up the grass of the field." And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.
And when we were departed from our brethren, the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir by the field way from Elath and Eziongeber, we turned and went the way to the wilderness of Moab.
And then the children of Israel went to again, and committed wickedness in the sight of the LORD. And then the LORD hardened Eglon the king of the Moabites, against the children of Israel, because they had committed wickedness before the LORD. And this Eglon gathered unto him the children of Ammon, and the Amalekites, and went and smote the children of Israel, and conquered the city of palm trees. read more. And the children of Israel served Eglon the king of the Moabites eighteen years. And then they cried unto the LORD. And the LORD stirred them up a saver, Ehud the son of Gera, the son of Jemini, a man that could do nothing handsomely with his right hand. And when the children of Israel sent a present by him unto Eglon the king of the Moabites, Ehud made him a two-edged dagger of a span long, and girded it under his garment upon his right thigh; and brought the present unto Eglon the king of the Moabites. As for Eglon, he was a very fat man. And when he had delivered the present, he let the people go that had carried the present, and he himself turned back from the idols at Gilgal, and caused to say thus: "I have a secret thing to tell thee, O king." And the king commanded to keep silence, and all they that stood about him went out from him. And Ehud came in unto him in a summer parlor, of which he had several unto himself alone, and said, "I have a message unto thee from God." And he arose out of his seat. And Ehud put forth his left hand and took the dagger from his right thigh and thrust it into his belly, so that the hilt went in also, and the fat closed upon the hilt: for he drew not the dagger out of his belly. And filthiness departed from him. But Ehud gat him out at the back door, and put to the door after him, and locked it. When he was gone out, his servants came and looked. And behold, the doors of the parlor were locked. And they said, "Ah, he is doing of his easement in his summer chamber." And when they had tarried till they were ashamed, for no man did the doors of the parlor open: then they took a key and opened them. And behold, their lord was fallen down dead upon the earth. But Ehud escaped while they tarried, and was gone beyond the idols and escaped into Seirah. And when he was come, he blew a trumpet in mount Ephraim. And the children of Israel went down with him off the hill and he before them. And he said unto them, "Follow me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies, the Moabites into your hands." And they descended after him and took the passages of Jordan from the Moabites, and suffered not a man to pass over. And they slew of the Moabites, the same time, upon a ten thousand men, all nobles, and men of might: that there escaped not a man, and so the Moabites were subdued that day, under the hands of Israel: and the land had rest eighty years.
And then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came along by the east side of the land of Moab, and pitched on the other side of the river of Arnon, and came not within the coasts of the Moabites: for Arnon was their utmost border.
And he beat the Moabites and measured them with a line, making them lie along the earth; so that he brought two parts of them to death, and let one part live. And so the Moabites became David's servants, and paid tribute.
And he beat the Moabites and measured them with a line, making them lie along the earth; so that he brought two parts of them to death, and let one part live. And so the Moabites became David's servants, and paid tribute.
And them also King David did dedicate unto the LORD with the silver and gold that he consecrated of all nations which he subdued: of the Syrians, the Moabites, the children of Ammon, the Philistines, the Amalekites, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada the son of a lusty man valiant in acts of Kabzeel, he slew two lions of Moab. He went down and slew a lion in a pit in time of snow.
And Shalmaneser king of Assyria came upon him, and Hoshea became his servant and gave him presents.
And the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, came Shalmaneser king of Assyria upon Samaria and besieged it.
But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant of the Ammonites, and Geshem the Arabian heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, "What is this that ye do? Will ye fall away again from the king?"
But when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth and took great indignation and mocked the Jews
And when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the others of our enemies heard that I had builded the wall, and that there were no more gaps therein - howbeit at the same time had I not hanged the doors upon the gates -
This is the heavy burden upon Moab: Ar of Moab was destroyed and overthrown in the night season: Kir also, in Moab, perished in the night and vanished away.
and send them to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of Ammon, the king of Tyre, and to the king of Sidon: and that by the messengers, which shall come to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah the king of Judah,
Yea all the Jews also that dwelt in Moab, under the Ammonites, in Idumaea and in all the countries, when they heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan governor upon them that were left in Judah:
I have heard the despite of Moab, and the blasphemies of the children of Ammon: how they have shamefully intreated my people, and magnified themselves within the borders of their land. Therefore as truly as I live, sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel, Moab shall be as Sodom, and Ammon as Gomorrah: even dry thorn hedges, salt pits and perpetual wilderness. The residue of my folk shall spoil them, the remnant of my people shall have them in possession. read more. This shall happen unto them for their pride, because they have dealt so shamefully with the LORD of Hosts' people, and magnified themselves above them.