Moab

SPECIAL TOPIC: MOAB

The etymology of the name (BDB 555, KB 554) is uncertain. Genesis 19:37 seems to connect it to Lot's daughter, linking the child to her father, "from my father" or "water of my father," but this is the type of popular etymology so common in the OT. Lot's incestuous child becomes the designation of a nation (as does the other daughter's son, Ammon (cf. Gen. 19:38). Their territory was

north/south between the Zered and Arnon Rivers on the eastern side of the Dead Sea
east/west Arabian desert and Jordan Rift Valley

There are several historical texts that mention Moab.

Egyptian execration texts from the 19^th ‒ 18^th century B.C.
the Mesha stele from a King Mesha from the 9^th century B.C.
Assyrian texts of Tiglath-pileser III's invasion the the 8^th century B.C.
Assyrian texts of Sargon II's reign in the 8^th century B.C.
Hebrew Bible has many references (see Concordance)

"Chemosh" was the national deity of the Moabites (cf. Num. 21:29), where Moab is called "the people of Chemosh." In Jdg. 11:24 this deity is linked to Ammon. Solomon brought this cult into Jerusalem in 1 Kgs. 11:7; 2 Kgs. 23:13, on behalf of his young Canaanite wives.

The etymology of the name itself (BDB 484) is uncertain. Some scholars assume "destroyer," or "subduer," while other scholars see it linked to a "fish god." Most of our information about this Canaanite deity comes from the Mesha Stele called "the Moabite Stone," discovered in 1868 at Dibon.

The text of 2 Kgs. 3:21-27 (esp. Jer. 48:27) strongly suggests that Chemosh was worshiped with child sacrifice, as were Molech and Ba'al, two other Canaanite fertility gods.