Topical Bible: Israel: Moab Rebels

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The rebellion of Moab against Israel is a significant event in the biblical narrative, illustrating the shifting political dynamics and divine interventions in the history of the ancient Near East. This event is primarily recorded in 2 Kings 1-3, with additional context found in the historical and prophetic books of the Old Testament.

Historical Background

Moab, located east of the Dead Sea, was a frequent adversary of Israel. The Moabites were descendants of Lot, Abraham's nephew, and thus had a complex relationship with the Israelites. During the reign of King David, Moab was subdued and became a vassal state, paying tribute to Israel (2 Samuel 8:2). This subjugation continued through the reign of Solomon and into the divided monarchy.

Rebellion Under King Mesha

The rebellion of Moab is specifically attributed to King Mesha, who is mentioned in the biblical text and corroborated by the Mesha Stele, an ancient Moabite stone inscription. The biblical account begins with the death of Ahab, king of Israel, after which Moab rebelled against Israelite control (2 Kings 1:1). The tribute that Moab had been paying was substantial, consisting of "a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams" (2 Kings 3:4).

Jehoram's Campaign Against Moab

Jehoram, son of Ahab, ascended to the throne of Israel and sought to reassert control over Moab. He formed an alliance with Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and the king of Edom to march against Moab. The coalition faced a dire situation when they ran out of water in the desert. In response, Jehoshaphat sought the counsel of the prophet Elisha, who prophesied that the valley would be filled with water without rain and that the Lord would deliver Moab into their hands (2 Kings 3:16-18).

Divine Intervention and Moab's Defeat

As prophesied, water miraculously filled the valley, providing relief to the allied forces. The Moabites, seeing the water reflecting the red morning sun, mistook it for blood and assumed that the allied kings had turned against each other. They rushed to the Israelite camp, only to be ambushed and defeated (2 Kings 3:22-24).

Mesha's Desperate Act

In a final act of desperation, King Mesha attempted to break through the siege by sacrificing his firstborn son on the city wall, an act that caused great indignation among the Israelites. The biblical text notes, "There was great wrath against Israel, and they withdrew and returned to their own land" (2 Kings 3:27). This event underscores the intense spiritual and cultural conflicts of the time.

Theological Implications

The rebellion of Moab and the subsequent campaign highlight several theological themes. The narrative demonstrates God's sovereignty over nations and His ability to deliver His people through miraculous means. It also reflects the consequences of idolatry and the moral decline of Israel under the influence of Ahab's dynasty. The alliance with Judah, however, shows a momentary unity among the divided kingdoms in the face of a common enemy.

Prophetic Context

The prophets frequently referenced Moab in their oracles, often pronouncing judgment against the nation for its pride and hostility towards Israel (Isaiah 15-16; Jeremiah 48; Ezekiel 25:8-11; Amos 2:1-3). These prophecies reinforce the notion of divine justice and the ultimate accountability of nations before God.

The rebellion of Moab against Israel remains a poignant episode in biblical history, illustrating the interplay of divine providence, human agency, and the unfolding of God's redemptive plan through the tumultuous history of His chosen people.

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2 Kings 1:1
Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.
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2 Kings 3:1
Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.
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Library

The Census of Israel
... for they were in the plains of Moab by Jordan ... It was Israel's joy that God's love
was not withdrawn from ... the wicked shall not be unpunished." The rebels were a ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 37 1891/the census of israel.htm

Moses' Prayer to be Blotted Out of God's Book.
... He recounted the dealings of God with Israel, when taking his ... of them on the plains
of Moab"In that ... sentence of death in the wilderness against those rebels. ...
/.../lee/sermons on various important subjects/sermon viii moses prayer to.htm

Numbers
... which ended in the destruction of the rebels, and in ... into the heart of Balak, the
king of Moab; he accordingly ... with the request that he would curse Israel (xxii ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/numbers.htm

The Death of Moses
... They are still wandering in the land of Moab, when the ... never to return; and the children
of Israel are left ... his lips, and said, 'Hear now, ye rebels, or ye ...
/.../kingsley/the gospel of the pentateuch/sermon xviii the death of.htm

The Infallibility of God's Purpose
... Now, rebels, foam at the mouth and let your fury boil, but he changeth not for you.
Oh! ... The children of Israel were encamped in the plains of Moab. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 7 1861/the infallibility of gods purpose.htm

Babylonia and Assyria
... to the disaffected in Babylonia that Egypt was to the rebels in Palestine ... in his
attributes, and, like Yahveh of Israel or Chemosh of Moab, was wifeless ...
/.../early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter vi babylonia and assyria.htm

How Upon the Death of Cyrus the Jews were Hindered in Building of ...
... when he carried the people of Israel captives, besought ... and in the countries of Amlnon,
and Moab, and Samaria ... them that the Jews have been rebels, and enemies ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 2 how upon the.htm

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
... the first place, the downfall of all the surrounding countries"Damascus, Gaza, Tyre,
Edom, Ammon, Moab, and Judah; then, denouncing Israel itself, condemned ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm

Here Next Followeth the History of Moses
... all the people tofore the stone and said to them: Hear ye rebels and out ... The children
of Israel wept and mourned for him thirty days in the fields of Moab. ...
/.../wells/bible stories and religious classics/here next followeth the history.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... does not entirely correspond with all that we know up to the present time of these
"children of Israel." Some of ... In the IXth century Mesha of Moab does not ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm