Melakhim II, Chapter 3 | The Mesha Stele

The Tanakh recounts the rebellion of Mesha, king of Moav, against Israel: “Mesha, king of Moav, was a sheep breeder. And he would pay tribute to the king of Israel with one hundred thousand lambs and the wool of one hundred thousand rams. But when Achav died, the king of Moav rebelled against the king of Israel” (Melakhim II 3:4–5). The chapter continues with Yehoram, son of Achav, king of Israel, attempting to carry out a punitive march with the assistance of Yehoshafat, king of Yehuda.

The background to these events is revealed by the Mesha Stele, an archaeological artifact discovered in Dibon in 1868, considered the first extrabiblical evidence of events described in the Tanakh (image and inscription attached below). Ancient kings often made victory steles to commemorate major achievements, and this stele details the victories and building projects of King Mesha against the Kingdom of Israel.

Mesha describes how Omri, king of Israel, conquered Moav and enslaved its people: “Omri, king of Israel, oppressed Moav for many years because Kemosh was angry with his land.” This conquest is likely what the Tanakh refers to as Omri’s: “deeds, and his exploits” (Melakhim I 16:27). Mesha narrates how Omri’s son expected to maintain control, but Moav overcame them: “Kemosh returned it in my days.” The stele describes the cities Mesha captured, the tactics he employed, the fortifications he built, and the spoils of war he dedicated to his gods, Kemosh and Ashtar.

Here are a few points of interest that should be noticed:

1.    The Relationship with Kemosh: Kemosh is the Moavite idol worship. The stele reveals a different perspective of the events, while Kemosh is portrayed as actively intervening in history, similar to how our theology grasps God's presence in the Tanakh. Mesha attributes the initial conquest of Moav by Omri to Kemosh’s anger, and their liberation to Kemosh’s decision to restore their land. Mesha also claims to have received direct instructions from Kemosh regarding military strategy about when and where to attack: “Kemosh said to me: Go, take Nebo from Israel. I advanced by night and fought from dawn until noon.”

2.    Reference to the House of David: The inscription on the stele possibly refers to the Davidic dynasty. Mesha recounts: “And from there I took the ‘Ariel of David,’ dragging it before Kemosh in Qiryat.” The term 'Ariel' may refer to a hero warrior, as in “He defeated the two leonine (אראל=ariel)  warriors of Moav” (Shmuel II 23:20). Some suggest it refers to a hero from Yehuda who came to aid Israel but was captured by Mesha.

3.    When Did the Rebellion Begin: The stele states that the rebellion began during the reign of Omri’s son (Achav), while the Tanakh indicates that Mesha’s rebellion occurred only after Achav’s death: “But when Achav died, the king of Moav rebelled against the king of Israel” (Melakhim II 3:5). Professor Oded Bustenay, in "עולם התנ"ך" series, proposes the following sequence:
* David conquered Moav.
* During the division of the kingdom or following Shishak’s campaign from Egypt, Moav declared independence.
* Omri reconsolidated control over Moav, imposing tribute and leaving Moavite governance intact in Dibon.
* Under Achav, Moav ceased tribute payments and fortified their cities as Aram’s military pressure on Israel grew.
* After Achav’s death in the battle against Aram, the Moabites took advantage of the defeat. Only then did they launch a military campaign, swiftly capturing the cities mentioned in the inscription through surprise attacks. This sets the stage for Yehoram’s punitive campaign described in our chapter.
 

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למעוניינים מצורף התעתיק של הכתובת. השפה המואבית דומה לשפה העברית ואת רוב המילים ניתן לפענח בקלות. התעתיק מסודר לפי סדר השורות במצבה, ושימו לב שפעמים רבות מילים חצויות בין השורות וממשיכות גם בשורה הבאה (למשל המילה בסוף השורה הראשונה היא "הדיבני" על שם העיר דיבון): 

For those interested, a translation of the transcription of the stele is included:

I am Mesha, son of Chemosh-gad, king of Moab, the Dibonite. My father reigned over Moab thirty years, and I have reigned after my father. And I have built this sanctuary for Chemosh in Karchah, a sanctuary of salvation, for he saved me from all aggressors, and made me look upon all mine enemies with contempt.
Omri was king of Israel, and oppressed Moab during many days, and Chemosh was angry with his aggressions. His son succeeded him, and he also said, I will oppress Moab. In my days he said, Let us go, and I will see my desire upon him and his house, and Israel said, I shall destroy it for ever. Now Omri took the land of Madeba, and occupied it in his day, and in the days of his son, forty years. And Chemosh had mercy on it in my time. And I built Baal-meon and made therein the ditch, and I built Kiriathaim.
And the men of Gad dwelled in the country of Ataroth from ancient times, and the king of Israel fortified Ataroth. I assaulted the wall and captured it, and killed all the warriors of the city for the well-pleasing of Chemosh and Moab, and I removed from it all the spoil, and offered it before Chemosh in Kirjath; and I placed therein the men of Siran, and the men of Mochrath. And Chemosh said to me, Go take Nebo against Israel, and I went in the night and I fought against it from the break of day till noon, and I took it: and I killed in all seven thousand men...women and maidens, for I devoted them to Ashtar-Chemosh; and I took from it the vessels of Jehovah, and offered them before Chemosh.
And the king of Israel fortified Jahaz, and occupied it, when he made war against me, and Chemosh drove him out before me, and I took from Moab two hundred men in all, and placed them in Jahaz, and took it to annex it to Dibon.
I built Karchah the wall of the forest, and the wall of the Hill. I have built its gates and I have built its towers. I have built the palace of the king, and I made the prisons for the criminals within the wall. And there were no wells in the interior of the wall in Karchah. And I said to all the people, 'Make you every man a well in his house.' And I dug the ditch for Karchah with the chosen men of Israel. I built Aroer, and I made the road across the Arnon. I built Beth-Bamoth for it was destroyed. I built Bezer for it was cut down by the armed men of Daybon, for all Daybon was now loyal; and I reigned from Bikran, which I added to my land. And I built Beth-Gamul, and Beth-Diblathaim...Beth Baal-Meon, and I placed there the poor people of the land.
And as to Horonaim, the men of Edom dwelt therein, on the descent from old. And Chemosh said to me, Go down, make war against Horonaim, and take it. And I assaulted it, And I took it, for Chemosh restored it in my days. Wherefore I made.... ...year...and I....