Biblical archaeology evidences for the accuracy of the scriptures. This is clear from the inscription on the moabite stone, a monument of mesha, king of moab, erected about 850 b. The inscription of mesha, known as the moabite stone, was discovered in. The moabite stone is a darkcolored, basalt monument about four feet high by two feet wide, dating to the reign of king mesha in about 850 b. The moabite, or mesha, stone was deliberately broken up within a year of its discovery in 1868. The mesha stele moabite stone, mesha inscription generation. A piece of polished black basalt with a neatly rounded top, it was 44 inches high, 112 cm 28 inches 71 cm wide, and 14 inches 36 cm thick. The small superior numbers designate the lines, many of which begin in the middle of a word.
Oct 24, 20 a product of archaeological looting, the mesha stele, or moabite stone, provides another instance of the value of unprovenanced biblical artifacts, that is, bible artifacts found outside of a professional excavation. The stone inscription was discovered by a german missionary in 1868 at dibon ancient moab. It was 3 12 feet high and 2 in breadth and in thickness, rounded at the top. Mesha made his record of the event on a stone slab, or stela, 3 ft. It was actually discovered by a german missionary named f. What is most amazing is that it mentions israel, yahweh and the house of david. The doctrine of moab and ammon page 3abundant, but the uplands are almost destitute of flowing water. The moabite stone was discovered in 1868 in moab, at dibon, 20 miles east of the dead sea. Mesha king of moab, wrote the moabite stone in about 900 bc. Moab and the moabite stone holman bible dictionary bible. Mesha tells how chemosh, the god of moab, had been angry with his people and had allowed them to be subjugated to israel, but at length, chemosh returned and assisted mesha to throw off the yoke of israel and restore the lands of moab. Unfortunately, the stone was broken into pieces by the local bedouin before it could be acquired by the authorities. Paragraph divisions are not in the original inscription, but are added in the translation for convenience.
The moabite stone was discovered in 1868 about 20 miles east of the dead sea. Andi slew all the people from 12 thecity, agazingstockfor k emosandformoab. Moabite stone definition and meaning bible dictionary. Eliel the mahavite, and jeribai, and joshaviah, the sons of elnaam, and ithmah the moabite. In the bible it says that mesha the king of moab was paying tribute to israel and that they suddenly stopped. Moabite stone 1911, and the tafel in smend and socin.
The moabite stonedestroyed but not lost watchtower online. The moabite stone a facsimile of the original inscription. However, he dismisses this as belonging to the fringe of the instrumental use of b. Today it is known as the moabite stone, or the mesha stele. The moabites were of semitic stock and of kin to the hebrews, as is indicated by their descent from lot, the nephew of abraham genesis 19. Moabite stone ancient stela, moab kingdom britannica. The inscription on the stele of mesa, commonly called the. Moabite stone encyclopedia of the bible bible gateway.
It consisted of thirtyfour lines, written in hebrewphoenician characters. 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. I am mesha son of chemoshmelek, king of moab, the dibonite. The moabite stone the mesha stele was discovered in 1868 about 20 miles east of the dead sea. They are known principally through information given in the old testament and from the inscription on the moabite stone. 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 inscribed. The story on the moabite stone is a spectacular proof that the bible is true history as told in 2 kings 1. Thatcher, milwaukee, wisconsin, university research extension co. The library of original sources, vol 1, in the library of original sources, edited by oliver j. Biblical archaeology moab moabite stone samaria ostraca nuzi tablets. According to the latest recensions of the text, the opening sentences of the moabite stone, so far as they pertain to the present subject, are. The historical territory of the moabites in the bible. Mesha stele translation sometimes called the moabite stone, this 9th century bc inscription by the moabite king mesha is a memorial of meshas victories over omri king of israel and his son, who had been oppressing moab.
The stele of king mesha constitutes one of the most important direct accounts of the history of the world that is related in the bible. Now the men of gad had dwelt in the landofatarot from ofold. In matters of religion moab is seen to furnish a close parallel to israel. Sutherland mesha stele, which is also known as the moabite stone, is one of the most valuable biblical artifacts. The moabite stone a facsimile of the original inscription pdf. 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. A product of archaeological looting, the mesha stele, or moabite stone, provides another example of the value of unprovenanced biblical artifacts, that is, bible artifacts found outside of a professional excavation. Including the moabite stone from moab jordan, samaria ostraca identifying clans of manasseh, and customs and laws of nuzi from the nuzi tablets. Moabite, member of a westsemitic people who lived in the highlands east of the dead sea now in westcentral jordan and flourished in the 9th century bc. An inscribed stone found in moab and recording moabite history.
The inscription on the stele of mesa, commonly called the moabite stone the text in moabite and hebrew, with translation london 1919. Mesha, king of moab what does the moabite stone reveal. 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. Lines 256 of the moabite stone 297 b an ox or an ass. Jul 01, 2009 in the text of the stone, which is over 30 lines and contains about 260 words, mesha mentions that omri was the king of israel who had oppressed moab. Klein, of the church missionary society at jerusalem, found at dhiban the biblical dibon, in moab, a remarkable stone, since called the moabite stone. Chemosh here bears exactly the same political relation to his people as jehovah does to his comp. Moabite definition is a member of an ancient semitic people related to the hebrews. The inscription on the stele of mesa, commonly called.
Biblical archaeology evidences for ancient semetic presences through out the middle east that verify the scriptural records. Moabite stone, provides yet another instance of the value of unprovenanced biblical. The inscription pays tribute to the sovereign, celebrating his great building works and victories over the kingdom of israel during the reign of ahab, son of omri. Lines 256 of the moabite stone and a recentlydiscovered. Feb 26, 2020 this work is in the public domain in the united states because it was published before january 1, 1925. Why the moabite stone was blown to pieces the bas library. It was discovered by a missionary on his travels through the territory once occupied by the tribe of reuben e. See moabite stone instances in the king james version kjv. What is most amazing is that it mentions israel, yahweh. The following translation is an attempt to reproduce the moabite text as closely as possible. The mesha stele, also known as the moabite stone, is a stele inscribed stone set up around.
Pdf on jan 1, 2017, mark schwartz and others published devoted to destruction. It dates to 850840 bc and speaks to the moabite israelite relations in the 9th century bc the time of king ahab. 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 scholarship. Sometimes called the moabite stone, this 9th century bc inscription by the moabite king mesha is a memorial of meshas victories over omri king of israel and his son, who had been oppressing moab. A product of archaeological looting, the mesha stele, or. 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. The inhabitants supply themselves by means of cisterns, many of which are ancient, but many of those used in ancient times are ruined.
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