(2 King 3:27) Did God have anger at Israel for this Moabite human Amplified Bible Then the king of Moab took his eldest son, who was to reign in his place, and offered him [publicly] as a burnt offering [to Chemosh] on the [city] wall [horrifying everyone]. 12:31) and the later prophets decried the practice, as well. 'Attarus, unexcavated, 8 minutes northwest of Dhiban. Klein. Victory would be theirs if they were obedient to their human responsibilities of digging the ditches. 22:1-6ff; 25:1; 31:16; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 11 and Revelation 2:14). Moreover, the Bible repeatedly condemns human sacrifice. Why did God use a lying spirit to deceive Ahab. 1 Timothy 4:6 In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following. In these verses we have (a) the supply of water (b) the obedience of the three kings and their armies and (c) the partial defeat of Moab. apart from the principle of thus says the Lord (2 Tim. King Mesha offered the crown prince as a burnt offering on top of the city wall in full view of the enemy forces (2 Kings 3-2627). Gods provision whether providing for our daily needs or against the enemies that stand opposed to His glory and our walk with Him is never a question of the sufficiency of Gods ability. 2 Kings 3:27 - Bible Verse Meaning and Commentary - Bible Study Tools 4:12; 1 Pet 2:2). This (referring to the miraculous provision) is but a slight thing in the sight of the Lord called their attention and ours to a vital principle. And the Israelites invaded the land and slaughtered the Moabites. The Gadites built up Ataroth as a fortified city, and built pens there for their flocks (Nm 32:34-36). PREVIOUS 2 Kings 3:26. WordPress Theme by Solostream. It is perhaps located at Deleitat esh-Sherqiyeh 10 mi north-northeast of Dhiban, but that location is far from certain. Why was there great indignation against Israel after the Moabite king Ezekiel said God would expose the flank of Moab, beginning with its frontier towns, including Baal Meon (25:9). Took his eldest son The rabbins account for this horrible sacrifice in the following way:-. With this horrifying act, Mesha turned defeat into victory. The Second Instruction and Responsibility of the Armies (vs. 19). They were the heralds of Gods Word, His messages to men, messages which were designed to teach them about God and bring godliness into their lives. 18:21; 20:2-5; Deut. Jeremiah predicted that the fortified cities of Dibon would be ruined (48:18 cf. The provision of water in this miraculous way became a guarantee, an incentive to obedience by illustrating Gods power and the means of the defeat of the Moabites. Unfortunately, Chemosh-worship was introduced into Israelite culture by King Solomon, who had wives from other cultures who turned his heart to other gods ( 1 Kings 11:4-7 ). Water seen as blood for Moabites but not for Israelites? So there was great anger against Israel, and the Israelites withdrew and returned to their own land. 27 So he took his oldest son, who was to succeed him as king, and offered him on the city wall as a sacrifice to the god of Moab. war between Moab and an alliance of Israel, Judah and Edom. Why King Mesha of Moab Sacrificed His Oldest Son It is thought to be located at Kh. Water was not given until this time in keeping with the principal that the Holy Spirit could not be given until the Lord had died, risen and was ascended. Verse 2 Kings 3:27. Genesis 22:2,13 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. The name is generally taken to mean "city of the sun." Cheyne, however, points out (EB, under the word): (1) that this explanation was unknown to the ancients; What was the reason for this sudden volte-face of the allied forces? CJB A number of Israelites had died as result of seduction by Moabite women as Balaam had suggested to the king of Moab. And the point is all three of these focus on God. Medeba was a major city in the region some 18 mi north of the Arnon. In Moabite stela that the Moabite king Mesha erected about 40 years later in the city of Dibon (modern Dhiban, Jordan). 182. True godliness will result in Christian character and actions, but by itself such is not necessarily godliness. Here again we can see how important it was for Elisha to be there and available, to deal with his own heart to make sure he was in the right spiritual condition so he could carefully hear and deliver Gods message. The allied forces retreated and Moab retained its independence for the next two centuries. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. Had Elishas instructions been carried out, these later attacks may have been avoided.36. In fact, both the Law and the Prophets banned this practice. The Mesha Inscription, now in the Louvre in Paris. With this horrifying act, Mesha turned defeat into victory. And I took thence the, It appears that there was a worship center for, And the king of Israel had built Jahaz, and dwelt therein while he fought against me but Chemosh drove him out from before me, and I took from Moab 200 men, all the. war between Moab and an alliance of Israel, Judah and Edom. He claims that, at Chemoshs direction, he reconquered land occupied by Israel, and he attributes his success to Chemosh. Offered him for a burnt offering.--To Chemosh, without doubt, by way of appeasing that wrath of the god which seemed bent on his destruction. An eighth century BC ostracon from Samaria (no. The second analogy, as already intimated, is found in Elishas repeated statement, Thus says the Lord, in verses 16 and 17. 2Chronicles 19:10; 2Chronicles 24:18.) The entire section dealing with Ataroth reads as follows: 'And I brought thence the altar-hearth of his Beloved, and I dragged it before Chemosh in Kerioth/my town' (lines 12-13) Kerioth was judged by God (Jer 48:24), with the town being captured and its strongholds taken (Jer 48:41). Kir Moab. This peculiar conception is a token of the antiquity of the record before us. Home Bible and Beyond Kingdoms of Israel and Judah Why King Mesha of Moab Sacrificed His Oldest Son, Baruch Margalit, Biblical Archaeology Review (12:6), Nov/Dec 1986. This is the earliest mention of Yahweh, God of the Israelites, outside the Bible. Although there are only three lines left in the surviving portion, Lemaire believes we only have about half of the original memorial (1994: 37). Omri established a dynasty which lasted until his grandson Joram was assassinated by Jehu in 841 BC. 16:20-21). al Muhaiyat, northwest of Madaba and just south of Mt. Before we make that call, before we witness or talk to that person, before we begin to prepare that Sunday school lesson, or come to Bible class etc., do we take God seriously and prepare our hearts? What was the fury that occurred against Israel? 19 Then you shall strike every fortified city and every choice city, and fell every good tree and stop all springs of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones., People often think of godliness in terms of moral living (behavior) and religious living--keeping the Ten Commandments, or the Beatitudes, or keeping a set of dos and donts, or going through the motions of religious rituals. Bibliothec. Hist. Note that Israelite captives were used to cut the timber used to construct Qerih. 'And I built Baal Meon, and made a reservoir in it' (line 9) Baal Meon was allotted to the Reubenites (Jos 13:17, where it is called Beth Baal Meon), and built by them (Nm 32:38). 2 Kings 3:27 - Compare Bible Verse Translations - Bible Study Tools 'I am Meshathe Dibonite' (line 1) Later on in the inscription he says: Since Mesha erected his stela to honor Chemosh in 'this high place for Chemosh in Qerih,' and since the stela was found at Dhiban, identified as ancient Dibon, most scholars beieve that Qerih was the name of the royal citadel at Dibon. 'And Chemosh said to me: 'Go! '(1) So begins one of the most extraordinary ancient documents ever found. His eldest son i.e., the despairing king of Moab took his own son and heir. [2] Patterson, R. D., & Austel, H. J. When the king of Moab realized he was losing the battle, he and 700 swordsmen tried to break through and attack the king of Edom, but they failed. It was discovered in Dhiban, Jordan, in 1868 by a French Anglican medical missionary by the name of F.A. North of the Arnon River, to about the northern end of the Dead Sea, was a disputed area called the 'land of Medeba' in the Mesha Inscription (line 8). 1:1) simply states, 'But after Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.' In his prophecy against Moab, Isaiah wrote that Moab would wail over Nebo (15:2, NIV). (Comp. The translation used in this article is that of A. Lemaire (1994:33). Nebo. No matter what your level of interest, from keeping abreast of the fascinating research that comes out of the field work, to actively participating in an archaeological dig, you can become an integral part of our ministry. Mesha Stele - Wikipedia l. 12. c. 28. 2 Kings 3:19). Thiele, E.R., 1983 The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings. Wrath is the Hebrew q#x#P, can mean indignation and in this context even righteous indignation. Against, the Hebrew preposition u^l, above, upon, against, beside, concerning, over, could be used with a word like wrath, indignation to express great feelings of emotion by emphasizing the person or persons who are the subject of the emotion and who feel the emotion acting upon them, i.e., great indignation came upon Israel, they were appalled by this act so much so they turned and went home--stunned. Deuteronomy 12:31 Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. Jerry Bridges in his book, The Practice of Godliness, suggests that this attitude consists of three essential elements: (a) the fear of God--reverential awe and trust; (b) the love of God; and (c) the desire for God. So the Moabites are analogous to those enemies who stand as a threat to our walk with God and our devotion to Him. So each record, accurate in its own way, records events from a different perspective. He was ready to do so, but he was prevented from doing so, and a sacrificial ram was given to take Isaac's place. They offered the sacrifice to the god of Moab and by so doing they did set in motion a spiritual principle. 2. All rights reserved. The manifestation of wrath in the present case was apparently a successful sortie of the Moabite garrison, whose faith in this terrible expedient of their king inspired them with new courage, while the besiegers were proportionally disheartened. ), The Expositors Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job. In the second half of Isaiah the foreign gods are called non. (For the unusual circumstances surrounding its discovery, see. In Jehoram's invasion of Moab it alone withstood his attack; and on the city wall the king of Moab sacrificed his son (2 Kings 3:25). The complete text regarding Horanaim reads as follows: Horanaim is mentioned in Isaiah's prophecy against Moab (15:5). facebook twitter youtube instagram newsletter Search. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. 30 The Bible Knowledge Commentary, OT Edition, John F. Walvoord, Roy B. Zuck, editors, Victor Books, electronic version, Logos Research Systems. He was truly a godly man with a timely word from God. Did UK hospital tell the police that a patient was not raped because the alleged attacker was transgender? 27 Then he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him as king, and offered him as a sacrifice on the city wall. of, Mesha made a high place for Chemosh, since Chemosh gave Mesha victory over his enemies (line 3), Because Chemosh was angry with Moab, Omri oppressed Moab (line 5), Chemosh gave Moab back her territory (line 9), Mesha slew the people of Ata-roth to satisfy Chemosh (lines 11-12), Mesha dragg-ed the altar-hearth(?) fled before the Israelites. 2 Kings 3:27 - Then he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed Living in certain parts of Texas, I have seen flooding along rivers and streams where there was not a drop of rain, but the water came from rain miles up stream. . 39. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. 27) contains a reference to 'Baala the Baalmeonite.' 2 Kings 3:27 - NLT - Then the king of Moab took his oldest son, who The people? Mesha's nighttime foray against Nebo is reported as follows: It appears that there was a worship center for Yahweh at Nebo since among the spoils were 'altar hearths(?) Upon the wall.Of Kir-haraseth. How could I justify switching phone numbers from decimal to hexadecimal? Defenseless, the Moabites . In it we learn of Gods will, deliverance, love, and care; and about the means God uses to develop our devotion to Him so that we may know, fear or reverence Him, and love and desire Him (Rom. 2:14). This black basalt stone, 1.1 m (44 inches) high, was discovered at Dhiban in 1868 and is now in the Louvre Museum in Paris. Elisha was just such a person. Nothing is too small or too great for Him to handle. Rather, they are given to bring maximum blessing and happiness and to protect us from the sad results of our own foolishness. Recent scholarship places Meshas act in a wider cultural context and may even suggest an explanation. For one, why would God prophesy through Elisha that Israel should attack Moabonly to cause wrath upon them? (See Note on 2Kings 1:1.). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House. But in spite of his failure to grasp this principle of God's, Jehoshaphat was honored by God for the righteous desires of his heart. Then he took his eldest son, that should have reigned in his stead. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? There is no salvation or true deliverance apart from the death of Jesus Christ, but there are a lot of counterfeits. In his prophecy against Moab, Isaiah states, 'Dibon goes up to its temple, to its high places to weep' (15:2, NIV). Then the king of Moab took his oldest son, who would have been the next king, and sacrificed him as a burnt offering on the wall. The ancient site is located at modern Madaba, and remains unexcavated. 2:1-2). J. Hampton Keathley III, Th.M. Recent scholarship places Meshas act in a wider cultural context and may even suggest an explanation. In his highly interesting article, Why the Moabite Stone Was Blown to Pieces, BAR 12-03, Professor Siegfried Horn recounts the ninth-century B.C. The stones text of 34 lines, written, King Mesha of Moab interprets Israels occupation of his country as a consequence of Chemoshs anger with his land. In Ezekiel, we read, When you offer your gifts, when you cause your sons to pass through the fire, you are defiling yourselves with all your idols to this day (Ezek. And I brought thence the altar-hearth of his Beloved, and I dragged it before Chemosh in Kerioth/my town. When the Moabite king sacrificed his son to Chemosh, the Israelites were sure that Chemosh would come to the aid of the Moabites and that their cause was . There are several in our passage. Thiele gives absolute years for the period from the beginning of the reign of Omri to the sixth year of Joram as 885 to 846 BC, or 40 years (1983:217). And there was great indignation against Israel.Or, And great wrath fell upon Israel. He was a contemporary of Jehoshaphat, king of the southern kingdom of Judah (870-848 BC), and Joram, king of the northern kingdom of Israel (852-841 BC). Similarly, although the Bible records Mesha's revolt, it gives no details on his successes. When the king of Moab realized he was losing the battle, he and 700 swordsmen tried to break through and attack the king of Edom, but they failed. 1st & 2nd Kings, New American Commentary by Paul House. Professor Horn offers a number of speculations, but concludes with the admission that no one has been able to give a satisfactory answer.. Though this study concerns the battle against the Moabites, lets not forget that the subject and focus of this series concerns the life and ministry of Elisha as he ministered among Gods people that they might know God and His provision and purposes in life. What would happen if Venus and Earth collided? How like Gods miraculous provision of the Spirit, whom the Lord likened to rivers of living water (John 7:37-39), as our means of deliverance and incentive to obedience. 3. Mesha | Moabite king | Britannica How well informed are the Russian public about the recent Wagner mutiny? With this horrifying act, Mesha turned defeat into victory. How does this cause them to withdraw? View south across the Arnon gorge, the 'Grand Canyon' of the Middle East. Why King Mesha of Moab Sacrificed His Oldest Son, Baruch Margalit Special note is made of the fact that the water did not come until the time of the morning offering (vs. 20). 27 Then he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him as king, and offered him as a sacrifice on the city wall. We try to please God without taking time to walk with Him and develop a relationship with Him. Similarly, Jeremiah said that judgment would come upon her and she would be laid waste (48:1, 22). Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him. The real issue is our trust and obedience to the truth of His Word or acting in faith on the promises of God. The Mesha Inscription verifies that this indeed was the case. Elisha was truly a man of God, a godly man who might be describe as a man for all seasons. 2:15). The word used for 'devoted' is the same as the Hebrew word harem used in the Old Testa- ment for offering a city completely to Yahweh, such as Jericho (Jos 6:17, 21). Godly behavior (Christian character) is thus a result of true godliness, otherwise we become burdened in Gods work and frustrated and discouraged in the Christian walk. (Amos 2:1 refers to a totally different event from that recorded in the text.) It is the longest monumental inscription yet found in Palestine. Among the spoils he acquired were the 'altar-hearths? 6 children are sitting on a merry-go-round, in how many ways can you switch seats so that no one sits opposite the person who is opposite to them now? Godliness is also complete devotion to God in a way of life that not only puts God first (Matt. 20). And there was great wrath against Israel, and Israel's allies [Judah and Edom] withdrew from King Jehoram and returned to their own land. Atlanta: Scholars Press. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed. This action appears to have resulted in a win over the armies of the Hebrews and their vassal state Edom [the children of Esau]. Note that Israelite captives were used to cut the timber used to construct Qerih. The first is by means of breaking through to the king of Edom. Abstract King Mesha's sacrifice of his son and the subsequent retreat of the Israelite army from Moab in 2 Kgs 3:27 has proven to be a puzzling text for interpreters from rabbinic Judaism to the present. According to the analogy, today we have a completed revelation, the inspired Word of God; this is our thus says the Lord book and the means by which we learn about God and about ourselves. He also knew the history of Israel's approach to the Promised Land and Moses' negotiations with the kings of Edom, Moab, and the Amorites well enough to make a legal point in his own negotiations (Judges 11:15-27). In his notes, Ryrie says, The Israelites were so frightened at what an aroused Moabite army might do that they retreated.35 Most commentaries, however, see the wrath as a reference to a stunning indignation over such a gross act that it caused the three armies to go home. The site of Dhiban was excavated 1950-1956 and 1965. The name is generally taken to mean "city of the sun." Cheyne, however, points out (EB, under the word): It is certain that belief in the supremacy of Jehovah did not hinder ancient Israel from admitting the real existence and potency of foreign deities. Mesha tells how Chemosh, the god of Moab, had been angry with his people and had allowed them to be subjugated to the Kingdom of Israel . When the alliance besieged the Moabite capital of Kir-Hareseth, the Moabite king Mesha, in desperation, sacrificed his eldest son to the god Chemosh. How does "safely" function in this sentence? . . Why was Israel divided into the Southern Kingdom and Northern Kingdom? An Alternative Approach to the Dilemma of 2 Kgs 3:27 Although mentioned only twice in the Old Testament, the city seems to have been an important place. "The 'sins of Jeroboam' that Jehoram perpetuated were not related to the worship of Baal but to the false worship of Yahweh under the calf (or ox) images that Jeroboam set up in Dan and Bethel. Although the campaign met with some success, it appears that Moab retained its independence. The king of Moab, in this case, sacrificed his son to obtain the favour of Chemosh his god, who, being a devil, delighted in blood and murder, and the destruction of mankind. Any difference between \binom vs \choose? So each record, accurate in its own way, records events from a different perspective. In the mid-ninth century BC, Mesha was successful in throwing off the yoke of Israel and bringing the area once again under the authority of Moab (1 Kgs 3:5 Mesha Inscription). Concerning this, Thomas Constable writes in the Bible Knowledge Commentary: The border where the Moabites were stationed early in the morning was the boundary between Moab and Edom east and south of the Dead Sea. 'And I built [the temple of Mede]ba' (lines 29-30) The city of Medeba was conquered and occupied by Israel (Nu 21:30; Jos 13:9, 16). The first question seems difficult on its face, but perhaps is best answered by looking at a parallel passage in Kings.
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