The inscription, which dates to the ninth century b. Moab and the moabite stone holman bible dictionary. Dictionaries smiths bible dictionary moabite stone, the moabite stone, the. The moabite stone contains 36 lines of phoenician script which relate to the rebellion of king mesha of moab against king jehoram of israel and king jehosaphat of judah. Moabite stone a monument erected at dibon dhiban by mesha, king of moab 2 kings 3. The next time we hear about it, though, is in a verse complaining that the moabites have despoiled it and taken it from israel. The inscription reads like a leaf taken out of a lost book of chronicles. The bible records a similar episode in 2 kings 3, but not surprisingly, each account is much more flattering to its own author than the other. A monument erected at dibon dhiban by mesha, king of moab 2ki 3. So ruth grew up a pagan, in a land cursed by the foulness and ferocity of its gods. The middle line 14 reads take nabau nebo against israel. It was lying on the ground, with the inscription uppermost, and measures about 3 feet 9 inches long, 2 feet 4 inches wide and 1 foot 2 inches thick.
Who were the ammonites, moabites and edomites in the bible. In the hebrew bible, the relationship between israel and moab is an enigma. The writing on the stone, consisted of 34 lines, written in the moabite language which was very close to hebrew. When the kingdoms of israel and judah controlled the land of canaan, the kingdoms of ammon, moab and edom ruled east of the jordan. Women of moab by sarah shectman we know very little about the women of moab, a neighboring kingdom located just across the jordan river from ancient israel. The inscription reads like a leaf taken out of a lost book. Moabite stone encyclopedia of the bible bible gateway. According to the bibles book of numbers, balak was moabs king at the. This battle is recounted in the old testament biblical archaeology news 2015 bible history online the moabite stone.
Bible history online moabite stone biblical archaeology. The mesha stele, also known as the moabite stone, is a stele inscribed stone set up around. An inscribed stone found in moab and recording moabite history. The mesha stele references important biblical figures, but the new. The bible indicates that the retaliation by joram recorded in 2 kings 3 took place immediately upon meshas revolt verses 57, or 846 bc. It is a serious study about the moabite language, but restricted to the script of a stone searched in an archeological find. Its inscription sheds light on the moabite perspective of 2 kings 3. The moabite stone the mesha stele was discovered in 1868 about 20 miles east of. The stele, whose story parallels, with some differences, an episode in the bibles books of kings 2 kings 3. The small superior numbers designate the lines, many of which begin in the middle of a word. Sutherland mesha stele, which is also known as the moabite stone, is one of the most valuable biblical artifacts. Presented to the evangelical theological society conference november 16, 2000, in nashville, tn. Moabite stone definition and meaning bible dictionary.
Skeptics like to say that the bible is just a book they like to say that its full of fairy tales. The names given on the moabite stone, engraved by one who knew them in daily life. It was accidentally discovered among the ruins of dhiban biblical dibon, capital of moab, 20 miles east of the dead sea, by a german missionary f. The inscription of mesha, king of moab, known both as the moabite stone and as the mesha stone inscription, was the first 1868 of the major epigraphic documents discovered in either. The moabite stone, otherwise known as the mesha stele, contains an. It was authored by mesha, king of the moabites and written in the first person. Moabite stone biblical archaeology bible history online. The moabite stone meshas stele the moabite stone cannot be seen in the british museum, although for years an actualsize copy was exhibited.
Moabite stone international standard bible encyclopaedia. King of moab confirms bible history christian assemblies. It directly confirms the bible stories in 2 kings 3. The moabite stone or mesha stele was discovered in 1868 in what is now dhiban, jordan. It documents the submission of moab to omri in 885 bc. Outside of the bible, this is probably the earliest record of the use of the divine name. True to jehovahs promise, the moabites were greatly humiliated and defeated.
The inscription describes two aspects of how mesha lead moab into victory against ancient israel. The moabite stone, a new translation, analytically crossexamined in light of the bible and moabite history, pages 2328, 103121. Entry for moab and the moabite stone holman bible dictionary one of 28 bible dictionaries freely available, this readable and easy to use dictionary takes advantage of the finest modern bible. And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations. Written, of course, from the moabite point of view, it is of interest to biblical scholars, who can set it alongside the relevant parts of the books of kings.
Importance of the moabite stone mesha stele for bible students. The inhabitants supply themselves by means of cisterns, many of which are. This introduction by william henry bennett 18551920 gives a readable history of the stone. But fairy tales are about imaginary beings and imaginary lands they are stories intended. Klein, of the church missionary society at jerusalem, found at dhiban the biblical dibon, in moab, a remarkable stone, since called the moabite. Klein, of the church missionary society at jerusalem, found at dhiban the biblical. The doctrine of moab and ammon page 3abundant, but the uplands are almost destitute of flowing water. This 2,800yearold stele tells a bible story from a. They are inserted here because sections of the moabite stone.
The moabite stone in the bible encyclopedia isbe moabite stone a monument erected at dibon dhiban by mesha, king of moab 2 ki 3. Does mesha stele reading on moabite stone change biblical. The town nebo, for example, is first mentioned in the bible as a moabite town where moses died. The mesha stele, or moabite stone, is one of many unprovenanced biblical artifacts found by. Moabite stone, the definition and meaning bible dictionary. Also, the mesha stele moabite stone names the israelite tribe of gad and the israelite god yahweh another validation of the biblical accuracy. Klein, was shown an inscribed basalt slab 3 10\ high x 2 wide and 2 12\ thick with rounded top and thirtynine lines of writing in an early cursive heb. The moabite stone facsimile reprint bennett, william henry ed on. Mesha, king of moab what does the moabite stone reveal about. The moabite stonedestroyed but not lost watchtower. Moabite kings boast corroborates genesis the institute. This is the woman around whom the story in the book.
The main source of information is the hebrew bible, which refers to a number of moabite. We mention it here because it is one of the most sensational memorials to turn up, throwing light on bible history. Klein, of the church missionary society at jerusalem, found at dhiban the biblical dibon, in moab, a remarkable stone, since called the moabite stone. The value of the moabite stone as an historical source jstor. The false god chemosh could not save moab, and king meshas writing on the moabite stone cannot cover up jehovahs victory over moab, because the bible. The mesha stele or moabite stone is a 3 foot high basalt slab inscription that was discovered near dibon modern dhiban, jordan in 1868 by frederick augustus klein. In 1873 the moabite stone was restored, with plaster casts of the missing text added, and put on exhibition. On this stone is the record in the phoenician characters of the wars of mesha, king of moab, with israel. Paragraph divisions are not in the original inscription, but are added in the translation for convenience. Klein, a german missionary employed by the church missionary society church of england, while traveling through the territory formerly occupied by the tribe of reuben east of the dead sea, was informed by an arab sheik of a remarkable stone. Moabite history begins with an ethnic joke that goes back to lots incestuous relations with his daughters, implying that the similarity in hebrew between moabi moabite.