The Moabites were an ancient people who inhabited the region east of the Dead Sea, in what is now modern-day Jordan. They are frequently mentioned in the Old Testament and are known for their complex and often adversarial relationship with the Israelites. The Moabites are descendants of Lot, Abraham's nephew, through an incestuous relationship with his eldest daughter. This origin is detailed in Genesis 19:36-37 : "Thus both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. The older daughter gave birth to a son and named him Moab. He is the father of the Moabites of today."

Geography and Culture

The land of Moab was characterized by its fertile plains and strategic location, which made it a significant player in the region's politics and trade. The Moabites were known for their agricultural prowess, particularly in the cultivation of grain and livestock. Their capital city was Dibon, and they worshiped the god Chemosh, as indicated in Numbers 21:29 : "Woe to you, O Moab! You are destroyed, O people of Chemosh!"

Relations with Israel

The relationship between the Moabites and the Israelites was marked by both conflict and cooperation. During the Exodus, the Israelites sought passage through Moabite territory but were denied, leading to hostilities. Numbers 22-24 recounts the account of Balak, the Moabite king, who hired the prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites. However, God intervened, and Balaam ended up blessing Israel instead.

Despite these tensions, there were periods of peace and intermarriage between the two peoples. The most notable example 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 faith in the God of Israel are celebrated in the Book of Ruth.

Military Conflicts

The Moabites were often in conflict with Israel during the period of the Judges and the monarchy. Judges 3:12-30 describes how the Moabite king Eglon oppressed Israel until he was assassinated by Ehud, a judge of Israel. Later, during the reign of King Saul, the Moabites were subdued, but they regained strength and posed a threat during the reigns of David and Solomon.

King David had a complex relationship with Moab. While he initially found refuge there during his flight from Saul (1 Samuel 22:3-4), he later waged war against them and made them his subjects (2 Samuel 8:2). The Moabites continued to be a thorn in Israel's side, rebelling during the reign of King Jehoram, as recorded in 2 Kings 3.

Prophetic Pronouncements

The prophets of Israel often spoke against Moab, condemning their pride and idolatry. Isaiah 15-16 and Jeremiah 48 contain oracles against Moab, predicting their downfall and destruction. These prophecies highlight the Moabites' arrogance and their reliance on false gods, which ultimately led to their judgment by the God of Israel.

Legacy

The Moabites eventually faded from the historical record, likely assimilating into other cultures and peoples in the region. Their legacy, however, remains in the biblical narrative as a testament to the complex interplay of kinship, conflict, and faith in the ancient Near East. The account of Ruth, in particular, serves as a powerful reminder of God's inclusive plan and the potential for redemption and blessing through faithfulness and loyalty.Genesis 19:37
And the first born bore a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites to this day.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

The Wilderness.
... The Moabites took alarm, though these, as descended from Abraham's nephew Lot, were
to be left unharmed; and their king, Balak, sent, as it appears, even to ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson iv the wilderness.htm

How the Philistines Made Another Expedition against the Hebrews ...
... of the young man's assistance, and descended from the ... Now the lot appeared to fall
upon Jonathan himself ... and subdued the Ammonites, and Moabites, and Philistines ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 6 how the philistines.htm

Chapter xiv
... formerly possessed the land of the Moabites (De 2:10 ... Amalekites." Now the Amalekites
are descended from Amalek ... They also captured Lot, Abram's brother's son, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xiv.htm

The Israelites
... we are told of his relationship to Lot or to ... whom the tribe was held to be descended
bore the ... Moabites and Midianites, Ammonites and Bedawin, even the king of ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter i the israelites.htm

Chapter xxv
... the location of these twelve princes descended from Ishmael ... Cushites on the south;
the Edomites, Moabites, etc., on ... her originally to cast in her lot with Isaac ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxv.htm

Letter cviii. To Eustochium.
... Of the stock of the Gracchi and descended from the Scipios ... called to mind the cave
in which Lot found refuge ... for it was to this that the Moabites and Ammonites ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cviii to eustochium.htm

The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 4. <. ...
/.../chapter ithe first chaldaean empire.htm

Scriptural Poems; Being Several Portions of Scripture Digested ...
... who not long since sojourn'd Among the Moabites, is now ... foundation on the sand
prepar'd: The rain descended and the ... So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonas ...
/.../scriptural poems being several portions.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... the name of some ancestor from whom they claimed to be descended, and who ... geber,
in such a manner as to avoid the Midianites and the Moabites. ... The lot given to ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

The Iranian Conquest
... According to this legend Astyages had no male heirs, and the sceptre would have
naturally descended from him to his daughter Mandane and her sons. ...
/.../chapter ithe iranian conquest.htm

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