The Moabites were a people descended from Moab, the son of Lot, who was the nephew of Abraham. The origin of the Moabites is recounted in the Book of Genesis, where it is described that after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot and his daughters took refuge in the mountains. In an effort to preserve their family line, Lot's daughters made their father drink wine and lay with him, resulting in the birth of Moab, the progenitor of the Moabites (Genesis 19:30-37).

The Moabites settled in the region east of the Dead Sea, an area that came to be known as Moab. This territory was characterized by its rugged terrain and was bordered by the Arnon River to the north and the Zered River to the south. The land of Moab was fertile and well-suited for agriculture, which contributed to the prosperity of the Moabite people.

Throughout the Old Testament, the Moabites are frequently mentioned in relation to the Israelites. The relationship between the two groups was complex, marked by periods of both conflict and cooperation. The Moabites were often in conflict with Israel, as seen in the Book of Judges, where Eglon, the king of Moab, oppressed Israel for eighteen years until he was assassinated by Ehud, a judge of Israel (Judges 3:12-30).

Despite these hostilities, there were also instances of peaceful interaction and intermarriage between the Moabites and Israelites. One of the most notable examples is the account of Ruth, a Moabite woman who became the great-grandmother of King David. Ruth's loyalty to her Israelite mother-in-law, Naomi, and her subsequent marriage to Boaz, a relative of Naomi, is a testament to the possibility of harmonious relations between the two peoples (Ruth 1-4).

The Moabites were known for their worship of the god Chemosh, to whom they offered sacrifices, including human sacrifices in times of dire need. This idolatrous practice was condemned by the Israelites, who were commanded to worship Yahweh alone. The Moabites' idolatry and their seduction of the Israelites into similar practices were a source of tension and conflict, as seen in the incident at Peor, where Moabite women led the Israelites into idolatry and immorality, resulting in a divine plague (Numbers 25:1-9).

Prophetic literature in the Old Testament often includes oracles against Moab, reflecting the ongoing enmity between Moab and Israel. The prophet Isaiah foretold the downfall of Moab, describing its destruction and lamenting its fate (Isaiah 15-16). Similarly, the prophet Jeremiah prophesied against Moab, declaring that it would be judged for its pride and idolatry (Jeremiah 48).

Despite their frequent opposition to Israel, the Moabites were not entirely excluded from God's redemptive plan. The inclusion of Ruth, a Moabite, in the lineage of David and ultimately Jesus Christ, highlights the possibility of redemption and inclusion for all peoples who turn to the God of Israel.Deuteronomy 2:9
And the LORD said to me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give you of their land for a possession; because I have given Ar to the children of Lot for a possession.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

The Nations of the South-East
... The Ammonites believed themselves to be the children of the ... the settlement of the
Ammonites and Moabites in the ... country which was henceforth to be called Edom. ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter iii the nations of.htm

The Pioneer's Influence Upon a Nation's Ideals.
... (5) Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God ...
relationship between the Hebrews and their neighbors, the Moabites, across the ...
/.../kent/the making of a nation/study v the pioneers influence.htm

CHAP. I. -II. 3 (II. 1).
... Judah, that the announcement of the lot of Israel ... command to exclude the Ammonites
and Moabites is founded ... They were called children of Israel, and children of ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/chap i -ii 3 ii 1.htm

How God Overthrew the Nation of the Sodomites, Out of his Wrath ...
... and said that it was impossible she should bear children, since she ... in it: it is
to this day called Zoar, for ... of whom was the father of the Moabites, which is ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 11 how god overthrew.htm

V. ...
... and had come into the land of the Moabites, king Balak ... to set up an idol so that
the children of Israel ... right name, for Bileaam or Balaam is he called in Hebrew ...
/.../the epistles of st peter and st jude preached and explained/chapter ii v 2.htm

The Wilderness.
... their coming out of Egypt, He called them round ... His oaths to their forefather in
the children of Moses ... The Moabites took alarm, though these, as descended from ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson iv the wilderness.htm

How the Philistines Made Another Expedition against the Hebrews ...
... as he commanded them, the king called Ahitub the ... nations, and subdued the Ammonites,
and Moabites, and Philistines ... He had three male children, Jonathan, and Isui ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 6 how the philistines.htm

The Historical Books.
... Many of them were military leaders, called to their ... hundred and eightieth year after
the children of Israel ... years of rest after the oppression of the Moabites. ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xx the historical books.htm

Reformation
... and treachery of the Ammonites and Moabites toward Israel ... Ammon, and of Moab: and
their children spake half ... generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 57 reformation.htm

Chapter xxv
... Cushites on the south; the Edomites, Moabites, etc., on ... Esau's heel; so his name
was called Jacob (Heeler ... these parents had waited twenty years for children; cf ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxv.htm

Who were the Moabites? | GotQuestions.org

What is the significance of Moab in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Ehud? | GotQuestions.org

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