Why did King Mesha of Moab Sacrifice His Oldest Son during the war against Israel
If you a Christian and you read your Bible often, you will surely come across the Bible chapter that narrated the story of King Mesha who sacrificed his first son to appease the gods during a brutal war against Israel.
The book of 2 Kings chapter 3:26 –27 narrated the story of a Moabite King who was a puppet and a loyalist to the Kings of Israel.
The Israelites conquered the Moabite and made all the Kings of Moab to paid tributes to Israel. However, during the reign of King Mesha of Moab, he stopped paying his tributes and revolted against Israel
The book of 2 Kings chapters 3:4 stated clearly that King Mesha of Moab was a sheep master and he paid tribute to the King of Israel from proceeds his sheep business. He paid tribute to Israel annually by donating 100,000 lambs and 100,000 rams from his sheep business.
However, when King Ahab of Israel died, King Mesha stopped paying his tributes and instead rebelled against King Joram who took over from his late father, King Ahab.
King Mesha's betrayal and rebellion angered King Joram of Israel and gathered his entire army to attack Mesha and his Moabite army.
King Joram of Israel didn't go alone, he called the help of King Jehoshaphat of Judah. Recall that Judah was a part of Israel Kingdom before they divided after the death of King Solomon.
He also called the help of the King of Edom.
NB: Edomite are believed to be descendants of Esau, Jacob's brother.
The three kings, the King of Israel, Judah and Edom marched with their entire army and fought against King Mesha of Moab.
When King Mesha saw that he was losing the war, he took his first son ans killed him and used him as a sacrifice to the gods of Moab.
The book of 2 Kings Chapter 3:26 stated that when he was losing the war, he took 700 strong men and attacked the flank of King of Edom but couldn't penetrate the defensive line.
In the heat of event, when the war fast going against him and all his soldiers almost slaughtered, he took his first son who was to succeed him and offered him as a burnt offering to the gods in front of the three other Kings who were horrified with what they have seen.
The Bible said after the sacrificed was made that there was great wrath and bitterness between Israel, Judah and Edom as they withdrew their armies and retreated.
Bitterness and wrath?
Does this mean the sacrifice caused confusion among the three Kings and made them hate and turn against each other during the war which also made them separate and return to their countries?
I can on all Bible scholars to explain the implication or the effect of the sacrifice and why the three Kings suddenly developed bitterness and retreated from the war.
NB: all the photos are only for illustration purpose.
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COMMENTS
DadaJames_03
03-19 04:15:40The blood of human is very powerful than the blood of animal , because God made man in his image , secondly the breath that came out from God became human living soul signifying that human been is a part of living God him selves then coming to the sacrifice the king did , his only begotten son he sacrificed it . God saw him and respected him that is why God diverted the Israel army and the rest army that join host together to fought him away from him . remember the moabat are lot son the family of Abraham , which her daughters make him drinking wine and get pregnant for their FATHER .
FemiTopeJoshua
04-09 16:19:36The were terrified, hate what they allowed a king like them did to save his people. it's a great sacrifice, God asked Abraham to and later stopped him from sacrificing his son to HIM. It's worth turning back. It's a great sacrifice.
GUEST_wkVXOEaxv
03-19 19:21:40What worked here is pity. Not that God accepted or that God was pleased with him or what he did. Remember he made sure the other kings saw him killing (not sacrificing) his son. That was his own way of surrendering, of letting them know that he is powerless to face them. If it was a pure sacrifice, he could have done so to the gods but not in front of the enemy kings. In those days, they strictly observe certain war rules. Moab was not really a pure enemy nation to Israel. They are relations and the kings know. They only wanted teach him a lesson and cut his tail by coming at him in that war. That's because for him to unilaterally stop paying the tax to Israel meant a direct challenge of war. And, such challenge must Compulsorily returned with full force. Otherwise, it will mean the King is stronger and will most likely override you. So, they wanted to know what gave him that to challenge Israel. But, they discovered he was not any strong. And, so when he saw he has lost the war, he then killed his first son in their front as a way of saying what else do you from me. They felt for him and pitied him. They are all kings and they understand what a first son means to any king. So, it broke their hearts to see him kill his son NOT to win the war but let his enemy kings see reason to stop fighting him. They did! So, if he had killed his son where those kings did not see him, the war would have continued and they would have destroyed the whole Moab.