Moab; Moabites

mō ́ab, mō ́ab-īts (Moab, מואב, mō'ābh, Moabite Stone, מאב, M-‛B; Greek (Septuagint) Μωάβ, Mōáb, ἡ Μωαβεῖτις, hē Mōabeítis, Μωαβῖτις, Mōabítis; Moabite, מואבי, מאבי, mō'ābhī; Moabites, מואב בּני, benē mō'ābh):

Moab was the district East of the Dead Sea, extending from a point some distance North of it to its southern end. The eastern boundary was indefinite, being the border of the desert which is irregular. The length of the territory was about 50 miles and the average width about 30. It is a high tableland, averaging some 3,000 ft. above the level of the Mediterranean and 4,300 ft. above that of the Dead Sea. The aspect of the land, as one looks at it from the western side of the Dead Sea, is that of a range of mountains with a very precipitous frontage, but the elevation of this ridge above the interior is very slight. Deep chasms lead down from the tableland to the Dead Sea shore, the principal one being the gorge of the river Arnon, which is about 1,700 ft. deep and 2 or more miles in width at the level of the tableland, but very narrow at the bottom and with exceedingly precipitous banks. About 13 miles back from the mouth of the river the gorge divides, and farther back it subdivides, so that several valleys are formed of diminishing depth as they approach the desert border. These are referred to in Numbers 21:14 as the “valleys of the Arnon.” The “valley of Zered” (Numbers 21:12), which was on the southern border, drops down to the southern end of the Dead Sea, and although not so long or deep as the Arnon, is of the same nature in its lower reaches, very difficult to cross, dividing into two branches, but at a point much nearer the sea. The stream is not so large as the Arnon, but is quite copious, even in summer. These gorges have such precipitous sides that it would be very difficult for an army to cross them, except in their upper courses near the desert where they become shallow. The Israelites passed them in that region, probably along the present Hajj road and the line of the Mecca Railway. The tableland is fertile but lacks water. The fountains and streams in the valleys and on the slopes toward the Dead Sea are abundant, but the uplands are almost destitute of flowing water. The inhabitants supply themselves by means of cisterns, many of which are ancient, but many of those used in ancient times are ruined. The population must have been far greater formerly than now. The rainfall is usually sufficient to mature the crops, although the rain falls in winter only. The fertility of the country in ancient times is indicated by the numerous towns and villages known to have existed there, mentioned in Scripture and on the Moabite Stone, the latter giving some not found elsewhere. The principal of these were: Ar (Numbers 21:15); Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Nebo (Numbers 32:3); Beth-peor (Deuteronomy 3:29); Beth-diblaim, Bozrah, Kerioth (Jeremiah 48:22-24); Kir (Isaiah 15:1); Medeba, Elealeh, Zoar (Isaiah 15:2, 15:4, 15:5); Kirheres (Isaiah 16:11); Sibmah (Joshua 13:19); in all, some 45 place-names in Moab are known, most of the towns being in ruins. Kir of Moab is represented in the modern Kerak, the most important of all and the government center of the district. Madeba now represents the ancient Madeba, and has become noted for the discovery of a medieval map of Palestine, in mosaic, of considerable archaeological value. Rabbath-moab and Heshbon (modern Rabba and Hesbân) are miserable villages, and the country is subject to the raids of the Bedouin tribes of the neighboring desert, which discourages agriculture. But the land is still good pasture ground for cattle and sheep, as in ancient times (Numbers 32:3-4).

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Author: International Std. Bible Encyclopedia

Keywords: Moab, Moabites, Moabitess, Moabite kingdom

Bible reference(s): Genesis 19:37, Genesis 36:35, Exodus 15:15, Numbers 21:11, Numbers 21:13, Numbers 21:15, Numbers 21:20, Numbers 21:26, Numbers 21:28, Numbers 21:29, Numbers 22:1, Numbers 22:3, Numbers 22:4, Numbers 22:7, Numbers 22:8, Numbers 22:10, Numbers 22:14, Numbers 22:21, Numbers 22:36, Numbers 23:6, Numbers 23:7, Numbers 23:17, Numbers 24:17, Numbers 25:1, Numbers 26:3, Numbers 26:63, Numbers 31:12, Numbers 33:44, Numbers 33:48, Numbers 33:49, Numbers 33:50, Numbers 35:1, Numbers 36:13, Deuteronomy 1:5, Deuteronomy 2:8, Deuteronomy 2:9, Deuteronomy 2:11, Deuteronomy 2:18, Deuteronomy 2:29, Deuteronomy 23:3, Deuteronomy 29:1, Deuteronomy 32:49, Deuteronomy 34:1, Deuteronomy 34:5, Deuteronomy 34:6, Deuteronomy 34:8, Joshua 13:32, Joshua 24:9, Judges 3:12, Judges 3:14, Judges 3:15, Judges 3:17, Judges 3:28, Judges 3:29, Judges 3:30, Judges 10:6, Judges 11:15, Judges 11:17, Judges 11:18, Judges 11:25, Ruth 1:1, Ruth 1:2, Ruth 1:4, Ruth 1:6, Ruth 1:22, Ruth 2:2, Ruth 2:6, Ruth 2:21, Ruth 4:3, Ruth 4:5, Ruth 4:10, 1 Samuel 12:9, 1 Samuel 14:47, 1 Samuel 22:3, 1 Samuel 22:4, 2 Samuel 8:2, 2 Samuel 8:12, 2 Samuel 23:20, 1 Kings 11:1, 1 Kings 11:7, 1 Kings 11:33, 2 Kings 1:1, 2 Kings 3:4, 2 Kings 3:5, 2 Kings 3:7, 2 Kings 3:10, 2 Kings 3:13, 2 Kings 3:18, 2 Kings 3:21, 2 Kings 3:22, 2 Kings 3:23, 2 Kings 3:24, 2 Kings 3:26, 2 Kings 13:20, 2 Kings 23:13, 2 Kings 24:2, 1 Chronicles 1:46, 1 Chronicles 4:22, 1 Chronicles 8:8, 1 Chronicles 11:22, 1 Chronicles 11:46, 1 Chronicles 18:2, 1 Chronicles 18:11, 2 Chronicles 20:1, 2 Chronicles 20:10, 2 Chronicles 20:22, 2 Chronicles 20:23, 2 Chronicles 24:26, Ezra 9:1, Nehemiah 13:1, Nehemiah 13:23, Psalms 60:8, Psalms 83:6, Psalms 108:9, Isaiah 11:14, Isaiah 15:1, Isaiah 15:2, Isaiah 15:4, Isaiah 15:5, Isaiah 15:8, Isaiah 15:9, Isaiah 16:2, Isaiah 16:4, Isaiah 16:6, Isaiah 16:7, Isaiah 16:11, Isaiah 16:12, Isaiah 16:13, Isaiah 16:14, Isaiah 25:10, Jeremiah 9:26, Jeremiah 25:21, Jeremiah 27:3, Jeremiah 40:11, Jeremiah 48:1, Jeremiah 48:2, Jeremiah 48:4, Jeremiah 48:9, Jeremiah 48:11, Jeremiah 48:13, Jeremiah 48:15, Jeremiah 48:16, Jeremiah 48:18, Jeremiah 48:20, Jeremiah 48:24, Jeremiah 48:25, Jeremiah 48:26, Jeremiah 48:28, Jeremiah 48:29, Jeremiah 48:31, Jeremiah 48:33, Jeremiah 48:35, Jeremiah 48:36, Jeremiah 48:38, Jeremiah 48:39, Jeremiah 48:40, Jeremiah 48:41, Jeremiah 48:42, Jeremiah 48:43, Jeremiah 48:44, Jeremiah 48:45, Jeremiah 48:46, Jeremiah 48:47, Ezekiel 25:8, Ezekiel 25:9, Ezekiel 25:11, Daniel 11:41, Amos 2:1, Amos 2:2, Micah 6:5, Zephaniah 2:8, Zephaniah 2:9, Judith 1:12, Judith 5:2, Judith 5:22, Judith 6:1, Judith 7:8, 1 Esdras 5:11, 1 Esdras 8:31, 1 Esdras 8:69

Source: James Orr (editor), The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 5 volume set.

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