Moabites.

• 2 min. read • grade level: 11

Descended from Lot. Gen. 19:37³⁷And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. (Genesis 19:37),

CALLED

Children of Lot. Deut. 2:9⁹And the Lord said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land for a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession. (Deuteronomy 2:9).

People of Chemosh. Num. 21:29²⁹Woe to thee, Moab! thou art undone, O people of Chemosh: he hath given his sons that escaped, and his daughters, into captivity unto Sihon king of the Amorites. (Numbers 21:29). Jer. 48:46⁴⁶Woe be unto thee, O Moab! the people of Chemosh perisheth: for thy sons are taken captives, and thy daughters captives. (Jeremiah 48:46).

Are given to, as a possession. Deut. 2:9⁹And the Lord said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land for a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession. (Deuteronomy 2:9).

Separated from the Amorites by the river Arnon. Num. 21:13¹³From thence they removed, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, which is in the wilderness that cometh out of the coasts of the Amorites: for Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. (Numbers 21:13).

Expelled the ancient Emims. Den. 2:9-11.

Possessed many and great cities Num. 21:28, 30²⁸For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon: it hath consumed Ar of Moab, and the lords of the high places of Arnon. (Numbers 21:28)
³⁰We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon, and we have laid them waste even unto Nophah, which reacheth unto Medeba. (Numbers 21:30). Isa. 15:1-4¹The burden of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; ²He is gone up to Bajith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep: Moab shall howl over Nebo, and over Medeba: on all their heads shall be baldness, and every beard cut off. ³In their streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth: on the tops of their houses, and in their streets, every one shall howl, weeping abundantly. ⁴And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh: their voice shall be heard even unto Jahaz: therefore the armed soldiers of Moab shall cry out; his life shall be grievous unto him. (Isaiah 15:1‑4). Jer. 48:21-24²¹And judgment is come upon the plain country; upon Holon, and upon Jahazah, and upon Mephaath, ²²And upon Dibon, and upon Nebo, and upon Beth-diblathaim, ²³And upon Kiriathaim, and upon Beth-gamul, and upon Beth-meon, ²⁴And upon Kerioth, and upon Bozrah, and upon all the cities of the land of Moab, far or near. (Jeremiah 48:21‑24).

Governed by kings. Num. 23:7⁷And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel. (Numbers 23:7). Josh. 24:9⁹Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you: (Joshua 24:9).

DESCRIBED AS

Proud and arrogant. Isa. 16:6⁶We have heard of the pride of Moab; he is very proud: even of his haughtiness, and his pride, and his wrath: but his lies shall not be so. (Isaiah 16:6). Jer. 48:29²⁹We have heard the pride of Moab, (he is exceeding proud) his loftiness, and his arrogancy, and his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart. (Jeremiah 48:29).

Idolatrous. 1 Kin. 11:7.

Superstitious. Jer. 27:3, 9³And send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the Ammonites, and to the king of Tyrus, and to the king of Zidon, by the hand of the messengers which come to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah king of Judah; (Jeremiah 27:3)
⁹Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon: (Jeremiah 27:9).

Rich and confident. Jer. 48:7⁷For because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou shalt also be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity with his priests and his princes together. (Jeremiah 48:7).

Prosperous and at ease. Jer. 48:11¹¹Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed. (Jeremiah 48:11)

Mighty and men of war. Jer. 48:14¹⁴How say ye, We are mighty and strong men for the war? (Jeremiah 48:14).

Deprived of a large part of their territories by the Amorites. Num. 21:26²⁶For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, even unto Arnon. (Numbers 21:26).

Refused to let Israel pass. Judg. 11:17, 18¹⁷Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would not hearken thereto. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab: but he would not consent: and Israel abode in Kadesh. ¹⁸Then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, but came not within the border of Moab: for Arnon was the border of Moab. (Judges 11:17‑18).

Alarmed at the number, &c. of Israel. Num. 22:3³And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel. (Numbers 22:3).

With Midian send for Balaam to curse Israel. Num. 22 Ch. to Num. 24 ch.

ISRAELITES

Enticed to idolatry by. Num. 25:1-3¹And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. ²And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. ³And Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. (Numbers 25:1‑3).

Forbidden to spoil. Deut. 2:9⁹And the Lord said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land for a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession. (Deuteronomy 2:9), with Judg. 11:15¹⁵And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon: (Judges 11:15).

Forbidden to make leagues with. Deut. 23:6⁶Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days for ever. (Deuteronomy 23:6).

Sometimes intermarried with. Ruth 1:4⁴And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years. (Ruth 1:4). 1 Kin. 11:1. 1 Chron. 8:8⁸And Shaharaim begat children in the country of Moab, after he had sent them away; Hushim and Baara were his wives. (1 Chronicles 8:8). Neh. 13:23²³In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab: (Nehemiah 13:23).

Excluded from the congregation of Israel forever. Deut. 23:3, 4³An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the Lord for ever: ⁴Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee. (Deuteronomy 23:3‑4). Neh. 13:1, 2¹On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever; ²Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing. (Nehemiah 13:1‑2).

Always hostile to Israel. Psa. 83:6⁶The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; (Psalm 83:6). Ezek. 25:8⁸Thus saith the Lord God; Because that Moab and Seir do say, Behold, the house of Judah is like unto all the heathen; (Ezekiel 25:8).

Harassed and subdued by Saul. 1 Sam. 14:47⁴⁷So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he vexed them. (1 Samuel 14:47).

Gave an asylum to David's family. 1 Sam. 22:4⁴And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold. (1 Samuel 22:4).

Made tributary to David. 2 Sam. 8:2, 12²And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts. (2 Samuel 8:2)
¹²Of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah. (2 Samuel 8:12).

Benaiah slew two champions of. 2 Sam. 23:20²⁰And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow: (2 Samuel 23:20).

Paid tribute of sheep and wool to the king of Israel. 2 Kin. 3:4. Isa. 16:1¹Send ye the lamb to the ruler of the land from Sela to the wilderness, unto the mount of the daughter of Zion. (Isaiah 16:1).

Revolted from Israel after the death of Ahab. 2 Kin. 1:1. 2 Kin. 3:5.

Israel and Judah joined against. 2 Kin. 3:6, 7.

Miraculously deceived by the color of the water. 2 Kin. 3:21-24.

Conquered by Israel and Judah. 2 Kin. 3:24-26.

King of, sacrificed his son to excite animosity against Israel. 2 Kin. 3:27.

Joined Babylon against Judah. 2 Kings 24:2²And the Lord sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by his servants the prophets. (2 Kings 24:2).

PROPHECIES RESPECTING;

Terror on account of Israel. Ex. 15:15¹⁵Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away. (Exodus 15:15).

Desolation and grief. Isa. 15 ch. Isa. 16:2-11²For it shall be, that, as a wandering bird cast out of the nest, so the daughters of Moab shall be at the fords of Arnon. ³Take counsel, execute judgment; make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday; hide the outcasts; bewray not him that wandereth. ⁴Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler: for the extortioner is at an end, the spoiler ceaseth, the oppressors are consumed out of the land. ⁵And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness. ⁶We have heard of the pride of Moab; he is very proud: even of his haughtiness, and his pride, and his wrath: but his lies shall not be so. ⁷Therefore shall Moab howl for Moab, every one shall howl: for the foundations of Kir-hareseth shall ye mourn; surely they are stricken. ⁸For the fields of Heshbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah: the lords of the heathen have broken down the principal plants thereof, they are come even unto Jazer, they wandered through the wilderness: her branches are stretched out, they are gone over the sea. ⁹Therefore I will bewail with the weeping of Jazer the vine of Sibmah: I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon, and Elealeh: for the shouting for thy summer fruits and for thy harvest is fallen. ¹⁰And gladness is taken away, and joy out of the plentiful field; and in the vineyards there shall be no singing, neither shall there be shouting: the treaders shall tread out no wine in their presses; I have made their vintage shouting to cease. ¹¹Wherefore my bowels shall sound like an harp for Moab, and mine inward parts for Kir-haresh. (Isaiah 16:2‑11).

Inability to avert destruction. Isa. 16:12¹²And it shall come to pass, when it is seen that Moab is weary on the high place, that he shall come to his sanctuary to pray; but he shall not prevail. (Isaiah 16:12).

To be destroyed in three years. Isa. 16:13, 14¹³This is the word that the Lord hath spoken concerning Moab since that time. ¹⁴But now the Lord hath spoken, saying, Within three years, as the years of an hireling, and the glory of Moab shall be contemned, with all that great multitude; and the remnant shall be very small and feeble. (Isaiah 16:13‑14).

To be captives in Babylon. Jer. 27:3, 8³And send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the Ammonites, and to the king of Tyrus, and to the king of Zidon, by the hand of the messengers which come to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah king of Judah; (Jeremiah 27:3)
⁸And it shall come to pass, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, saith the Lord, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand. (Jeremiah 27:8). Jer. 48:7⁷For because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou shalt also be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity with his priests and his princes together. (Jeremiah 48:7).

Their desolation as a punishment for their hatred of Israel. Jer. 48:26, 27²⁶Make ye him drunken: for he magnified himself against the Lord: Moab also shall wallow in his vomit, and he also shall be in derision. ²⁷For was not Israel a derision unto thee? was he found among thieves? for since thou spakest of him, thou skippedst for joy. (Jeremiah 48:26‑27). Ezek. 25:8, 9⁸Thus saith the Lord God; Because that Moab and Seir do say, Behold, the house of Judah is like unto all the heathen; ⁹Therefore, behold, I will open the side of Moab from the cities, from his cities which are on his frontiers, the glory of the country, Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon, and Kiriathaim, (Ezekiel 25:8‑9).

Restoration from captivity. Jer. 48:47⁴⁷Yet will I bring again the captivity of Moab in the latter days, saith the Lord. Thus far is the judgment of Moab. (Jeremiah 48:47).

Subjugation to Messiah. Num. 24:17¹⁷I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. (Numbers 24:17). Isa. 25:10¹⁰For in this mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill. (Isaiah 25:10).

Subjugation to Israel. Isa. 11:14¹⁴But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them. (Isaiah 11:14).

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