The Moab

And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.

And Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who smote Midian in the field of moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Avith.

Then 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.

And they journeyed from Oboth, and pitched at Ijeabarim, in the wilderness which is before moab, toward the sunrising.

From 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.

And at the stream of the brooks that goeth down to the dwelling of Ar, and lieth upon the border of moab.

And from Bamoth in the valley, that is in the country of moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looketh toward Jeshimon.

For 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.

For 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.

Woe 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.

And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.

And moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.

• Government

And moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.

• Government

And the elders of moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.

And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of moab abode with Balaam.

And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of moab, hath sent unto me, saying,

And the princes of moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.

And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of moab.

And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.

And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of moab.

And 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.

And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the LORD spoken?

• Sceptre
• Star
• Stars

I 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.

• Israel
• Miscegenation

And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of moab.

And Moses and Eleazar the priest spake with them in the plains of moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,

These are they that were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the plains of moab by Jordan near Jericho.

And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the camp at the plains of moab, which are by Jordan near Jericho.

And they departed from Oboth, and pitched in Ijeabarim, in the border of moab.

And they departed from the mountains of Abarim, and pitched in the plains of moab by Jordan near Jericho.

And they pitched by Jordan, from Bethjesimoth even unto Abelshittim in the plains of moab.

And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,

And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,

These are the commandments and the judgments, which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel in the plains of moab by Jordan near Jericho.

On this side Jordan, in the land of moab, began Moses to declare this law, saying,

And when we passed by from our brethren the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, through the way of the plain from Elath, and from Eziongaber, we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of moab.

Thou art to pass over through Ar, the coast of moab, this day:

These are the words of the covenant, which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of moab, beside the covenant which he made with them in Horeb.

Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto mount Nebo, which is in the land of moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession:

And Moses went up from the plains of moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the LORD shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan,

So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of moab, according to the word of the LORD.

And he buried him in a valley in the land of moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.

And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.

These are the countries which Moses did distribute for inheritance in the plains of moab, on the other side Jordan, by Jericho, eastward.

Then 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:

• Alliances
• Armies
• Assassination

And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD. And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees. So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of moab eighteen years. But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of moab. read more But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh. And he brought the present unto Eglon king of moab: and Eglon was a very fat man. And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present. But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him. And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat. And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly: And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out. Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them. When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber. And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth. And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath. And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them. And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward moab, and suffered not a man to pass over. And they slew of moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man. So moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years. show less

So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of moab eighteen years.

• Prayer

But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of moab.

• Eglon
• Corpulency

And he brought the present unto Eglon king of moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.

And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.

So moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.

And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him.

And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon:

Then 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.

Then 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.

And now art thou any thing better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them,

• Benedictions
• Bereavement

Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of moab, and continued there. And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. And 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. read more And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband. Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of moab: for she had heard in the country of moab how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread. Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah. And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. the LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept. And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people. And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons; Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me. And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law. And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her. So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me? So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest. show less

And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of moab, and continued there.

• Ruth
• Women

And 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.

Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of moab: for she had heard in the country of moab how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.

So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

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:

• Land
• Commerce

And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's:

And when they forgat the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of moab, and they fought against them.

So 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.

And David went thence to Mizpeh of moab: and he said unto the king of moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me.

And he brought them before the king of moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold.

• Captive
• Cord

And 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.

Of 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.

• Benaiah
• Lion

And 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:

Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.

Then moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.

And Mesha king of moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool.

But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, the king of moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against moab to battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses.

And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of moab!

And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of moab.

And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, moab, to the spoil.

And when the king of moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through even unto the king of Edom: but they could not.

And when Husham was dead, Hadad the son of Bedad, which smote Midian in the field of moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Avith.

And Jokim, and the men of Chozeba, and Joash, and Saraph, who had the dominion in moab, and Jashubilehem. And these are ancient things.

And Shaharaim begat children in the country of moab, after he had sent them away; Hushim and Baara were his wives.

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: also he went down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day.

And he smote moab; and the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts.

Them also king David dedicated unto the LORD, with the silver and the gold that he brought from all these nations; from Edom, and from moab, and from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines, and from Amalek.

• Confederated
• Armies

It came to pass after this also, that the children of moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.

And now, behold, the children of Ammon and moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not;

• Ambush
• Armies

And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

For the children of Ammon and moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.

the tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of moab, and the Hagarenes;

But 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.

• Burden

the 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;

He 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.

And 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.

My heart shall cry out for moab; his fugitives shall flee unto Zoar, an heifer of three years old: for by the mounting up of Luhith with weeping shall they go it up; for in the way of Horonaim they shall raise up a cry of destruction.

For the cry is gone round about the borders of moab; the howling thereof unto Eglaim, and the howling thereof unto Beerelim.

• Lion

For the waters of Dimon shall be full of blood: for I will bring more upon Dimon, lions upon him that escapeth of moab, and upon the remnant of the land.

For 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.

Let 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.

• Moab
• Anger

We 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.

Therefore shall moab howl for moab, every one shall howl: for the foundations of Kirhareseth shall ye mourn; surely they are stricken.

And 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.

This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning moab since that time.

But 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.

For 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.

• Character

Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and moab, and all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.

Edom, and moab, and the children of Ammon,

And 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;

Likewise when all the Jews that were in moab, and among the Ammonites, and in Edom, and that were in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that he had set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan;

Against moab thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Woe unto Nebo! for it is spoiled: Kiriathaim is confounded and taken: Misgab is confounded and dismayed.

There shall be no more praise of moab: in Heshbon they have devised evil against it; come, and let us cut it off from being a nation. Also thou shalt be cut down, O Madmen; the sword shall pursue thee.

Give wings unto moab, that it may flee and get away: for the cities thereof shall be desolate, without any to dwell therein.

And moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel their confidence.

moab is spoiled, and gone up out of her cities, and his chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter, saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts.

the calamity of moab is near to come, and his affliction hasteth fast.

Thou daughter that dost inhabit Dibon, come down from thy glory, and sit in thirst; for the spoiler of moab shall come upon thee, and he shall destroy thy strong holds.

And upon Kerioth, and upon Bozrah, and upon all the cities of the land of moab, far or near.

the horn of moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, saith the LORD.

Make ye him drunken: for he magnified himself against the LORD: moab also shall wallow in his vomit, and he also shall be in derision.

O ye that dwell in moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock, and be like the dove that maketh her nest in the sides of the hole's mouth.

• Heart

We have heard the pride of moab, (he is exceeding proud) his loftiness, and his arrogancy, and his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart.

Therefore will I howl for moab, and I will cry out for all moab; mine heart shall mourn for the men of Kirheres.

And joy and gladness is taken from the plentiful field, and from the land of moab; and I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses: none shall tread with shouting; their shouting shall be no shouting.

• Idolatry

Moreover I will cause to cease in moab, saith the LORD, him that offereth in the high places, and him that burneth incense to his gods.

Therefore mine heart shall sound for moab like pipes, and mine heart shall sound like pipes for the men of Kirheres: because the riches that he hath gotten are perished.

There shall be lamentation generally upon all the housetops of moab, and in the streets thereof: for I have broken moab like a vessel wherein is no pleasure, saith the LORD.

They shall howl, saying, How is it broken down! how hath moab turned the back with shame! so shall moab be a derision and a dismaying to all them about him.

For thus saith the LORD; Behold, he shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread his wings over moab.

Kerioth is taken, and the strong holds are surprised, and the mighty men's hearts in moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.

And moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he hath magnified himself against the LORD.

Fear, and the pit, and the snare, shall be upon thee, O inhabitant of moab, saith the LORD.

He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring upon it, even upon moab, the year of their visitation, saith the LORD.

They that fled stood under the shadow of Heshbon because of the force: but a fire shall come forth out of Heshbon, and a flame from the midst of Sihon, and shall devour the corner of moab, and the crown of the head of the tumultuous ones.

Woe be unto thee, O moab! the people of Chemosh perisheth: for thy sons are taken captives, and thy daughters captives.

Yet will I bring again the captivity of moab in the latter days, saith the LORD. Thus far is the judgment of moab.

Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because that moab and Seir do say, Behold, the house of Judah is like unto all the heathen;

Therefore, behold, I will open the side of moab from the cities, from his cities which are on his frontiers, the glory of the country, Bethjeshimoth, Baalmeon, and Kiriathaim,

And I will execute judgments upon moab; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.

Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime:

• Judgments
• Fire
• Palace

But I will send a fire upon moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth: and moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet:

O my people, remember now what Balak king of moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD.

I have heard the reproach of moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.

Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.