Introduction:
Moab is a significant region and people group mentioned frequently in the Bible. The Moabites were descendants of Moab, the son of Lot by his elder daughter, as recorded in Genesis 19:37. The land of Moab was located east of the Dead Sea, in what is now modern-day Jordan. The Moabites had a complex and often adversarial relationship with the Israelites.

Geography and Early History:
The territory of Moab was characterized by its rugged terrain and fertile plains, which made it suitable for agriculture and livestock. The region was bounded by the Arnon River to the north and the Zered River to the south. The Moabites settled in this area after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, where Lot and his daughters took refuge in the mountains (Genesis 19:30-38).

Moab and Israel:
The relationship between Moab and Israel was marked by both conflict and cooperation. During the Exodus, the Israelites sought passage through Moab but were denied by King Balak, who instead hired Balaam to curse them (Numbers 22-24). However, God intervened, and Balaam ended up blessing Israel instead.

The Moabites were also involved in leading Israel into idolatry and immorality at Baal-Peor, which resulted in a severe plague among the Israelites (Numbers 25:1-9). Despite these hostilities, there were periods of peace and intermarriage, as seen in the account of Ruth, a Moabite woman who became the great-grandmother of King David (Ruth 1:4, 4:13-22).

Moab in the Period of the Judges and Kings:
During the time of the Judges, Moab oppressed Israel for eighteen years until they were defeated by Ehud, a judge of Israel (Judges 3:12-30). Later, during the reign of King Saul, the Israelites fought against the Moabites (1 Samuel 14:47).

King David had a complex relationship with Moab. Initially, he sought refuge for his parents in Moab while fleeing from Saul (1 Samuel 22:3-4). However, later in his reign, David defeated the Moabites and made them his subjects (2 Samuel 8:2).

Prophetic Pronouncements Against Moab:
The prophets frequently pronounced judgments against Moab for their pride and idolatry. Isaiah prophesied the downfall of Moab, describing their destruction and lamentation (Isaiah 15-16). Jeremiah also foretold Moab's ruin, emphasizing their arrogance and false security (Jeremiah 48). Ezekiel included Moab in his oracles against the nations, predicting their desolation (Ezekiel 25:8-11).

Moab in the New Testament:
While Moab is not directly mentioned in the New Testament, the region's historical and theological significance is evident in the genealogy of Jesus Christ, which includes Ruth, the Moabite (Matthew 1:5).

Cultural and Religious Practices:
The Moabites worshiped Chemosh as their chief deity, often engaging in practices that were abominable to the Israelites (1 Kings 11:7). Their religious practices included child sacrifice and other rites condemned by the God of Israel.

Archaeological Evidence:
Archaeological findings, such as the Mesha Stele, provide additional insights into Moab's history and interactions with Israel. The stele, discovered in 1868, records the victories of King Mesha of Moab over Israel, corroborating biblical accounts of Moabite-Israelite conflicts.

Conclusion:
Moab's history and interactions with Israel provide a rich tapestry of conflict, cultural exchange, and divine intervention. The biblical narrative of Moab serves as a testament to the complex relationships between neighboring nations in the ancient Near East and the overarching sovereignty of God in the affairs of men.4124. Moab -- a son of Lot,also his desc. and the territory where ...
... 4123, 4124. Moab. 4125 . ... and the territory where they settled. Transliteration:
Moab Phonetic Spelling: (mo-awb) Short Definition: Moab. ...
/hebrew/4124.htm - 6k

The Burial of Moses
... By Nebo's lonely mountain, On this side Jordan's wave, In a vale in the land of
Moab There lies a lonely grave. ... O lonely grave in Moab's land! ...
/.../wells/bible stories and religious classics/the burial of moses.htm

Psalm 83
... against thee they combine. ^6The tents of Edom, Ishm'elites,. Moab's and Hagar's
line; ^7Gebal, and Ammon, Amalek,. Philistines, those of Tyre; ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/anonymous/scottish psalter and paraphrases/psalm 83.htm

Opening Thoughts.
... "On the horizon's verge, The last faint tracing on the blue expanse, Rise Moab's
summits; and above the rest One pinnacle, where, placed by Hand Divine ...
//christianbookshelf.org/macduff/memories of bethany/i opening thoughts.htm

Of Preparation.
... If the sight of Moab's king sacrificing on his walls his own son, to move his gods
to rescue him (2 Kings 3:27), moved the assailing kings to such pity, that ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bayly/the practice of piety/i of preparation.htm

Book ii.
... boasts of heretics. But. Is. xvi.6. His strength (Moab's) is by no means
according to his arrogance. [5277]. Jerem. i.7, 20. Men's sin ...
//christianbookshelf.org/jerome/the principal works of st jerome/book ii.htm

Making and Breaking Connections.
... Listen in Deuteronomy to the old man Moses talking during the thirty days'
conference they had in Moab's plains before he was taken away. ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks on power/making and breaking connections.htm

The Greatness of the Soul,
The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3. <. ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the greatness of the soul.htm

Moab's (7 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Moab's (7 Occurrences). Numbers 23:7 And he took
up his parable, and said: From Aram Balak bringeth me, the ...
/m/moab's.htm - 8k

Moadiah (2 Occurrences)

/m/moadiah.htm - 7k

Moabitish (2 Occurrences)
... 2:6 And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the
Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab: (KJV JPS ...
/m/moabitish.htm - 7k

Birth-pains (10 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 48:41 Kerioth is taken, and the strong places have been forced, and the
hearts of Moab's men of war in that day will be like the heart of a woman in ...
/b/birth-pains.htm - 9k

Smell (77 Occurrences)
... Thus "smell" is occasionally equivalent with "quality," "character": "His (Moab's)
taste remaineth in him, and his scent is not changed" (Jeremiah 48:11). ...
/s/smell.htm - 34k

Warriors (75 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 48:41 Kerioth is taken, and the strong places have been forced, and the
hearts of Moab's men of war in that day will be like the heart of a woman in ...
/w/warriors.htm - 27k

Forced (84 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 16:4 Let those who have been forced out of Moab have a resting-place with
you; be a cover to them from him who is making waste their land: till the ...
/f/forced.htm - 33k

Sport (99 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 48:26 Make him full of wine, for his heart has been lifted up against the
Lord: and Moab will be rolling in the food he was not able to keep down, and ...
/s/sport.htm - 35k

Isaiah (64 Occurrences)
... Tyre was invested though not taken; on the other hand, Joppa, Eltekeh, Ekron, Ashkelon,
Ammon, Moab, and Edom all promptly yielded to his demands. ...
/i/isaiah.htm - 66k

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