https://www.blockonomics.co/pay-url/d67c8d28371411eb. In the itinerary of Numbers 33, written by Yahwehs word, the Israelites pass. The Bible also states in Numbers 21:29-30; that Dibon was a city in the land of Moab and mentions their god, Chemosh. And that in itself is fascinating. Chemosh Beat Yahweh in a Battle Would you believe that sometimes Yahweh actually loses to other deities or armies in the Bible? The Elohim of Abraham and the Elohim of Nahhor, they will judge between us, the Elohim of their father, and Jacob swore with the fear of his father Isaac. Was Yahweh one of the Moloch Gods? (Num 21:29; Judg 11:24 & the Mesha stele vs Deut 2:24), #371. Yahweh is not some sort of omnipotent being in much of the Bible. Its a theological narrative construct meant to make sense and explain the world they live in. We also learn that Chemosh communicated with the king, probably through a form of divination similar to the many biblical references to Israelite kings "inquiring of the Lord." Discovered in 1868 at Dhiban, Jordan (biblical "Dibon," the capital of Moab), the inscription of 34 lines is the most extensive document ever recovered referring contemporaneously to ancient Israel. Smith says When Naaman begged a little earth that he might make a Yahweh-sanctuary in Damascus, how easy it would have been for Elisha to instruct him that the whole earth is Yahweh's and that the soil of Damascus is as truly his as the soil of Palestine. This rules out Jehovah's omnipotence. 221:27-30; Jer. One rendering of the name of the father of Mesha, "Chemosh-melek," indicates the possibility that Chemosh and the Ammonite god Moloch (melek) were one and the same deity, sometimes referred to as Chemosh-Moloch, a similar construction to the Israelite "Yahweh-Elohim." Burton, Judd H. "Chemosh: Ancient God of Moabites." The Moabites, Ammonites, and Israelites were reportedly kinsmen, and the Israelites sometimes worshiped Chemosh, as well as their own national god, Yahweh. Do the Israelites leave Egypt on the 15th day of the 1st month, #162. 2 Kings 3:27 27 Then he (Mesha, king of the Moabites who worshiped Chemosh) took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him as king, and offered him as a sacrifice on the city wall. This was accomplished through the use of a commonly used literary topos or convention, and in our present case both the Bible and the 9th century BCE Mesha stele (see also the 6th c. Babylonian cylinder seal) bear witness to this literary convention. Because we are looking at two different Elohim, the Elohim in the phrase "the Elohim of their father" must be used in the plural sense. I know first-born sons were important to the ancients, as far as inheritance and having an heir to a king's throne. Yep Another story of People not trusting God. Why would an omnipotent being be in any need of war? Chemosh seems to have also had a taste for blood. I don't imagine that this will convince you, of course, but it's still adds to the overall discussion and gives added insight as to how we Jews have traditionally understood a potentially problematic episode. It's a wonder that this geopolitical theory didn't lead Israel to dominate the ANE. As English poet John Milton wrote in his 1667 masterpiece, Paradise Lost, Moloch is one of Satan's chief warriors and one of the greatest fallen angels the Devil has on his side. Molech (king).The fire-god Molech was the tutelary deity of the children of Ammon, and essentially identical with the Moabitish Chemosh. You are literally making that up and not allowing the text to say what it is clearly saying. Mythologists and other scholars suggest that such activity may be due to the fact the Chemosh and other Canaanite gods such as the Baals, Moloch, Thammuz, and Baalzebub were all personifications of the sun or the sun's rays. 2 Kings 3:27 27 Then he (Mesha, king of the Moabites who worshiped Chemosh) took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him as king, and offered him as a sacrifice on the city wall. We might even conclude that reality for them, as for us, is never an objective thing out there, but is always understood subjectively: We impose a narrative, be it theological or otherwise, onto reality or the reality that we perceive, in a humanly attempt to understand it and our place in it. (Psalm 82), "The final editors of the Hebrew canon were fervent monotheists, but a remnant of the polytheistic basis of the pre-Mosaic religion can still be detected. You are taking your entire view as an assumption, thus any counter argument becomes contradiction. In fact, Yahweh appears to be only one of Elyons 70 sons. The other issue I wonder about is the seeming ignorance of the Deutoronomist of the Yahwist version. Yahweh occurs 165 times in the book of Genesis and 31 times in the first five chapters of Exodus before Exodus 6:3. This article incorporates text from the 19011906 Jewish Encyclopedia, a publication now in the public domain. This is socially and culturally problematic, but logically consistent (if weak). Maybe that's why Yahweh decided to sacrifice his firstborn son? However, the theme of promised land to a people by that peoples deity was a commonplace among the geopolitical and literary landscape of the ancient Near Eastern world. This appears to be the case, and every major city is destroyed except Kir Hareseth, or "Fortified City of Dirt." Neither Elijah nor his biographer thought that the woman of Zarephath ought to give up the service of her Baal on the ground that there was no God but Yahweh. Copy link. (Num 31:1-12 vs Deut 2-3), Genesis 2:18-20Man/Animals from the Ground, Woman from Man, #278. Elijah's confrontation Jeremiah in his oracle of doom upon Moab has recourse to the same old song and calls the people "the people of . To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here: The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia: Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed. Another reason that the worship of Baal and Asherah was a perennial problem for Israel is due to what we could call national peer pressure. But the name Yahweh occurs 196 times in the Bible before Exodus 6:3. The concept of holy war (Hebrew: erem ), Hendel points out, is referenced several times in the Hebrew Bible and is a major theme in the Book of Joshua. (Num 13:26 vs Num 20:1, 27:14, 33:36; Deut 32:51), #313. Mar 4 19M. If someone strikes you do you seek retribution per the law OR offer the other cheek as well? The great wrath may refer to the divine wrath of Chemosh! Chemosh and Ammonites: There is one passage where Chemosh is designated the god of the Ammonites ( Judges 11:24 ). Of all the Molochs, Jehovah becomes supreme, and the other Molochs are forgotten, lost for ever; he is the God of gods. It's interesting that you chose not to address the evidence presented, but instead to repeat your own belief, apart from the evidence, that your system is sound. In the Moabite Inscription, Chemosh's wrath ends in Yahweh's defeat and the fleeing of Israel. If a Girl says to me "call me tomorrow and we'll go on a date." (Ex 21:12-24 vs Matt 5:39). The Mesha Stele, also known as the Moabite Stone, is a black basalt monument bearing an inscription by the ninth century B.C.E. Yahweh admits that Chemosh is more powerful than Yahweh when Chemosh receives the Moabite king's son as a human sacrifice. Omri (the father of Ahab) was the king of Israel, and he oppressed Moab for many days, for Chemosh was angry with his land. How many Israelites left Egypt during the Exodus: 600,000 OR 625,550? Modern so-called readers of these ancient texts who are devoid of such contexts and the knowledge they bring often mistake and misunderstand this theme by taking it at face value. Your conclusions don't hold water and you spread lies. But then we changed and we were blessed by God and beat them back. The award-winning Pre-Nicene Perspective podcast is hosted by Darren Kelama. Biblical scholars have also noted that Chemosh's role in the Moabite Stone inscription is analogous to that of Yahweh in the book of Kings. Thus, it would seem that Semitic regard for respective national deities operated similarly from region to region. [7] Possibly Israel had the wrong allies and this angered Jehovah. El was an important god in Canaanite mythology. The 7th century Deuteronomic Tradition (Deut 2:18 & 29), 3. Is Bechar Benjamins son OR Ephraims son? Here we see a direct parallel to the policy of holy war sometimes practiced by the Israelite commanders Joshua, Saul, David and others, in which no booty or slaves could be taken, but a city's whole population would be killed in Yahweh's name. (Ex 33:11 vs Num 1:51, 3:10, 3:38, 18:5-7), #224. Chemosh (from Hebrew , pronounced /emo/), was the primary god of the Moabites (Num. In 2 Kings 3:27, Yahweh is defeated by another god, Chemosh. 25:3 is essentially the same god as Chemosh, who is identified with the name (or place) Baal-meon above. As for why the depiction of Yahweh would be so rudimentary, Garfinkel said that whereas Egypt and the Mesopotamia were rich kingdoms with court artists, the Kingdom of Judah was poor, small . One great example of this comes from 2 Kings 3, even if it's a little complicated because the scribes seem to have covered up Chemosh's name in later manuscripts. Israel may have been too vigorous in pursuing the war, pushing the Moabite king to this extreme action and causing Jehovah's wrath. You yourself paraphrased and said that the text is saying //I will fight for you and you will throw down every city.//, Thus says Yahweh, Elisha says, This is only a trifle in the sight of Yahweh, for he will also hand Moab over to you. Note that the Hebrew states, "they will judge," not "he will judge," therefore we are looking at two different Elohim, one belonging to Abraham (the ancestor of Jacob) and the other to Nahhor (the ancestor of Laban). Jehovah have previously promised that Israel would prevail. The devil is in the details, it seems. So he could be more powerful? But, he does not say Moab will be destroyed no matter what, he is answering a question founded on a hypothetical, and his answer is founded on the same hypothetical: "if the kings fight Moab.". ( , ) " . Rav and Shmuel engage in a dispute concerning this. Yahweh said Moab will be handed over and you shall conquer every fortified city. Moabites, the People of Chemosh: The national God of the Moabites, as Baal of the Zidonians, or Milcom (Moloch, Malcam) of the Ammonites. He also names Mesha as the son of Chemosh. In Babylonian or Greek mythologies we find one god struggling upwards, and he assumes a position and remains there, while the other gods die out. Are Yahweh and El the same god OR different gods? no religions talk of their gods ever losing battles. in Comparative Literature; B.A. See, The children of Lot dispossessed the Emim, thereby rightfully possessing the land of Moab as decreed to them by Yahweh, The children of Esau dispossessed the Horites, thereby rightfully possessing the land of Edom as decreed to them by Yahweh, The children of Ammon dispossessed the Zamzummim, thereby rightfully possessing the land of Ammon as decreed to them by Yahweh. [3] He may have been related to or even identical with the Ammonite god Moloch. Chemosh. But, suddenly, in verse 27, the Moabite king sacrifices his own child, and "divine wrath" fell on Israel, causing them to retreat. The Hebrew word there, , is exclusively used in Classical Hebrew to describe the wrath of a deity. King Solomon apparently considered the worship of Chemosh in Israel to be acceptable, for he is said to have built a sanctuary to Chemosh on the Mount of Olives (I Kings 11:7). So Israel is made up of humans, and Elijah's prophecy is not a prophecy of predestined destruction of Moab. Here as well, the Jewish people learned from the king of Moab to engage in human sacrifice.en Levi. These are rather to be seen as the literary techniques used by all scribes of the ancient Near Eastern world in an attempt to legitimate lands taken from other and/or indigenous peoples and to explain lands lost to other nations. in Medieval Literature; M.A. (2 Kings 23:13) Dagon In the above case we saw that far from the text expressing Gods word in some objective fashion, it more accurately re-presents mans perception of his world through a deity that he understands as controlling the very forces that act upon his world, most importantly the wining and losing of lands. How do we know that the biblical writers were not writing history? Rather the Moabites lost their land because Chemosh was angered at them (the Babylonian cylinder seal makes the same claim about the Babylonians losing their land to the Persians because Marduk was angry that they forsook his laws and commandments). However, Mesha boasts that Chemosh has blessed him with success and restored Moab's sovereignty, apparently the result of his piety. 3 Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. If Israel had pressed forward, they would've destroyed Moab. And he asks: So a proper understanding of Yahwehs word or promise of the land of Canaan to the children of Israel has to be seen in its larger historical and literary contexts. There's actually an interesting discussion of this in the Talmud, Sanhedrin 39b. The polytheistic nature of this passage became clear with the discovery in 1929 of Ugarit (related to Hebrew) texts in modern-day Syria at Ras Shamra. For more information, please see our Chemosh was the supreme Moabite deity who was believed to bring victory to his people when they honored him properly, but allowed their enemies to prevail when they fell into sin From this we can deduce a number of probable facts about Chemosh. Certainly not Yahweh. According to Vawter, none of the available English translations does justice to the original Hebrew of Genesis 31:13, which quite simply reads "I am the god Bethel" ('El Bet'el), who was a member of the Canaanite pantheon along with the rest of the above.4 The original meaning is therefore quite different from the traditional understanding: this god at Bethel is not the universal Lord who appeared at Bethel but just one god among many a local deity of a specific place. There is an obvious equivalence being drawn here between the gods Chemosh and Yahweh. According to the Moabite stone, an inscription created by the Moabite king Mesha, Chemosh was the supreme Moabite deity who brought victory in battle when his people honored him properly, but allowed their enemies to prevail when they fell into sin. (Num 21:10 vs Num 33:41), #166. The . Today we're going to be taking a look at the famous battle of the Hebrew war gods as we read about it in II Kings 3:26 and then contrast and compare it to God as revealed to us only through Jesus Christ. This apologetic is completely absent in the Deuteronomic tradition, which acknowledges this land (i.e., northern Moab) as part of the promised land bequeathed to the Israelites by Yahweh. (Job 38:7 states that the heavenly host was present at creation.). Yahweh would have delivered Israel anyway, without Jephthah's . Mixing of religions, worship of many gods. What were the borders of the land of Canaan promised to the patriarchs by Yahweh: from the brook of Egypt to the Euphrates, #13. (2 Kings 23:13). Please, How would the Pre-Nicene Christians view the tumultuous events of today? This implies that there is a source of divinity outside of their god. Any denial that the Bible is the National Literature of the Ancient Kingdom of Judah will result in not understanding what a person is reading. 1. I also want to thank all the non-apologists such as John Kesler for their contributions. They walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. Each nation's deitybe it Yahweh, Marduk, Chemsoh, Osiris, etc.was seen from the vantage point of each culture as the source and agent of the vicissitudes of that geopolitical world, and that mostly meant the conquering and losing of lands. The fallen angel Belphegor was often connected to this deity. Little is known about Chemosh; although King Solomon of Israel built a sanctuary to him east of Jerusalem (1 Kings 11:7), the shrine was later demolished by King Josiah (2 Kings 23:13). Chemosh, the subduer, was the national god of the Moabites and was also worshiped by the Ammonites. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. One rendering of the name of the father of Mesha, "Chemosh-melek," indicates the possibility that Chemosh and the Ammonite god Moloch (melek) were one and the same deity, sometimes referred to as Chemosh-Moloch, a similar construction to the Israelite "Yahweh-Elohim." ' " ( , ) ( , ) , The Gemara answers: This can be understood in accordance with the statement of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi. Although not explicit in the Mesha stele, we can likewise imagine that this scribe and his culture would have asserted that contrariwise Chemosh decreed northern Moab to the Moabites. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods [ELOHIM] of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord [YAHWEH] EXODUS 12:12. Baal or Moloch or Chemoshthe name may change, but their bloodthirsty appetite for the most acceptable offering of infants does not. That suggests it wasnt redacted until the exile period, when the Pentatuch was created, as opposed to an earlier JE redaction. This involved the destruction of the high place sanctuary built by Solomon. . Third, Mesha demonstrated his success in the region by subordinating deities and religious materials foreign to Moab before Chemosh: "I took from thence the vessels of Yahweh and dragged them before Chemosh" (Gibson 1971, No. Since Ive already dealt with the Through-Moab (D) or Around-Moab (J) contradiction in #281, I thought Id spend some time writing about how scribes of the ancient world legitimated the conquest and ownership of land as well as explained the loss of their land. Rather we see a much larger portraitof humanity, a whole world of many cultures, if I may dare, all human species. Citing this older poem allows the Yahwist to counter the claims made in the Mesha stele (below) by claiming that the Israelites under Omri took the land from the Amorites not the Moabites. He was called by the ancient Israelites as "the abomination of Moab". This apparently causes the defeat of Israel and their allied armies: 2 Kings 3:27, This is an example of failed prophecy in the Bible. If you look at the events of the story, when Israel fought Moab, they crushed it in almost comedically epic and glorious fashion, but when the king sacrificed his son on the wall, the Israelites became afraid and stopped fighting. {2 Kings 3:27). Genesis 1:1-2 Not a Creation ex nihilo! Nergal Baal Berith Anammelech Nibhaz Ninurta Dagon. Yahweh vs. Chemosh: Battle of the Hebrew War Gods in II Kings 3:26. Matthew Henry suggests that the sacrifice was inspired by Satan. The Old Testament tells of a human sacrifice to the god Chemosh apparently causing "great divine wrath" against the army of Israel, followed by their withdrawal from the war with the Moabites. The 8th 9th century Yahwist Tradition (Num 21:15-31), 2. It is believed that he lived on Mount Saphon, close to the ancient Syrian city of Ugarit. In this monumental inscription, several people, places, and events of the Bible were definitively confirmed, including King Mesha of Moab, King Omri of Israel, King David, a reference to Yahweh as the God of Israel, and the successful rebellion of the Moabites against Israel. Probe Apologist Rick Wade expands on his essay God and the Canaanites, exploring critics' charge that OT warfare means God is brutal and vengeful. 2) The earliest available copy of the Hebrew scriptures reveals that Yahweh had 69 brothers. The biblical hero, Jephthah, gave Chemosh equal billing with Yahweh. "My god helps me win and defeat your god" -> Chemosh vs. Yahweh Temple of Solomon Yahwism Worship of Yahweh by the people of Israel. in 2 Kings 3, Yahweh's prophecy of victory is a failure, and a Moabite god's wrath drives Israel into retreat. Monkey see monkey do, yes? in Classical Studies; C.Phil. Fire-gods appear to have been common to all the Canaanite, Syrian and Arab tribes, who worshipped the destructive element under an outward symbol, with the most inhuman rites. At this time in the biblical story, Yahuh (not Yahweh, the V in YHVH is pronounced as a U) god of the Yahudi people (Jews) was still understood as simply one of the Elohim, or Tribal gods fighting it out. Chemosh, ancient West Semitic deity, revered by the Moabites as their supreme god. Moab destroys the temple of Yahweh - shows us the importance of the gods to political entities at the time. Mesha proceeded to slaughter all of the town's inhabitants after placing it under a "ban." [4]. Hadad | Kothar | Melqart | Mot | Moloch | 7. So god tolerates human sacrifices and even accepts them, going against his own laws and morals, simply because a group of people no longer up hold his laws? We also have a Moabite stele with this exact scenario inscribed, paralleling 2 Kings 3: "Omri was king of Israel, and oppressed Moab during many days, and Chemosh was angry with his aggressions 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.". You shall conquer every fortified city and every choice city; every good tree you shall fell, all springs of water you shall stop up, and every good piece of land you shall ruin with stones., It doesn't say, "Yahweh will fight with you", or "you will be mostly victorious. By command of Chemosh, Mesha attacked Nebo and fought against Israel, and after a fierce struggle he took the place, slaying the inhabitants en masse, 7,000 men and women and maidservants, devoting the city to 'Ashtor-Chemosh and dragging the altar vessels of Yahweh before Chemosh. Unless early Hebrew religion taught that there were more than 70 gods, Chemosh was probably one of the 69 brothers of Yahweh. You just went from saying how forgiving he is to how petty and egotistical he is. Identified verse by verse and explained using the most up-to-date scholarly information about the Bible, its texts, and the men who wrote them by Dr. Steven DiMattei. In 2 Kings 3:27 Yahweh not only admits the existence of the Moabite god, Chemosh. Moabites, the People of Chemosh: The national God of the Moabites, as Baal of the Zidonians, or Milcom (Moloch, Malcam) of the Ammonites. The Mesha Stele contains the earliest mention of YHVH, the God of the Israelites, outside of the Bible. Chemosh was the national deity of the Moabites whose name most likely meant "destroyer," "subduer," or "fish god." Some hold that the Moabite god "Baal-peor" of Num. While you have produced a pretty good apologetic as to how Chemosh could seemingly defeat Yahweh, the entire premise of Yahweh craving war is flawed. (Deut 2:24, 31). What is the source of your belief, do you think? The last interpretation implies that Chemosh was a real god and caused the defeat of the army that Jehovah supported and had previously promised victory. Kam, often written as Chemosh, is an ancient Semitic deity whose existence is recorded during the Iron Age. compare all religions to the jewish religion. The texts confirmed some of the names of Israels deities including Elyon. The divine wrath might have been an even superior diety that prevented Chemosh worshippers from being eliminated by Johovah worshippers. While he is most readily associated with the Moabites, according to Judges 11:24 he seems to have been the national deity of the Ammonites as well. Calvinism may have a hard time with this because they remove any element of human free-will, but I do not, because God kept his promise and let his people not accept it. The destroyer, subduer, or fish-god, the god of the Moabites (Numbers 21:29; Jeremiah 48:7, 13, 46).The worship of this god, "the abomination of Moab," was introduced at Jerusalem by Solomon (1 Kings 11:7), but was abolished by Josiah (2 Kings 23:13).On the "Moabite Stone" (q.v. For my part, my unique educational trajectory through various disciplines of the HumanitiesPh.D. The ultimate journey is to understand ourselves. Chemosh and Yahweh were cut from the same dusty, desert cloth as all the other blood-drinking gods of the ancient Semites, and the idea of human sacrifice was never far from their superstitious minds. That is each nationIsraelite, Babylonian, Egyptian, Moabite, etc.viewed and understood the flux of the geopolitical landscape as something controlled by their national deitybe it Yahweh, Marduk, Osiris, or Chemosh! Do you think it is inconceivable that a follower of Yahweh could acknowledge the existence of another god? Nice, sure he'll love that. Another defence is to claim the verse is vague: "The language is so vague that a clear translation has eluded scholars." Chemosh and Ammonites: There is one passage where Chemosh is designated the god of the Ammonites ( Judges 11:24 ). Press J to jump to the feed. Podcast Pre-Nicene PerspectiveYahweh vs. Chemosh: Battle of the Hebrew War Gods in II Kings 3:262023217 Did the Israelites travel 300 km to battle Midian and return to the plains of Moab all in the 11th month of the 40th year of the Wilderness period OR not? [5] The great divine wrath might have therefore been satanic. [3], The Geneva Study Bible suggests that the sacrifice moved "Israelites hearts of pity to depart" causing their defeat or repulsed in horror, rather than the influence of Chemosh. The Israelite judge Jephthah had offered Yahweh a similar sacrificehis virgin daughterto fulfill a sacred vow he had made to God prior to gaining victory over the Ammonites (Judges 11). This act by Solomon was no doubt to some extent a political one, motivated by a desire to honor his Moabite wife. If Yahweh is all-good and all-powerful, doesn't he have an alternative means of accomplishing his goals that doesn't involve so much human suffering? Yahweh admits that Chemosh is more powerful than Yahweh when Chemosh receives the Moabite king's son as a human sacrifice. (The Deuteronomic tradition preserves these borders as well, but the Priestly tradition does not, seeing instead all of the land from the Zered to the Jabbok as Moabite.). First, he was Moab's national god. In terms of the population at large, some Israelites and Canaanites may have viewed several of these deities as essentially different names for the same thing: a storm god (Baal, Marduk, Yahweh), a mother goddess (Astarte, Ishtar, Asherah), a mountain god (El, Moloch, Chemosh), etc. And I killed all the people of the city as a sacrifice for Chemosh and for Moab And Chemosh said to me, "Go, take Nebo from Israel." Mesha says that he captured Nebo, a town located on the very mountain where Moses traditionally saw the promised land before dying. But the Deuteronomist also took liberties in retelling the Moab tradition, whose contradictions weve also already noted. The specific characteristics of Chemosh are not clear in many respects. Mesha vs. Omri and "his son") and god (Chemosh vs. Yahweh). Learn Religions. Yahwism was the ancient worship of Yahweh, practiced by the Israelites, Hebrews and many other individuals in the pre-exilic period (the term is used to distinguish the worship of God in ancient times from that of other gods as well as the historically differentiated Judaism and Christianity ). Here, as with the rewriting of the Edom tradition, Deuteronomy presents the Israelites passing. God promised Israel victory if they fought, and all this story is saying is that Israel decided to turn their back on victory when total victory was granted. The question, although understandable, is a bit odd nonetheless because it is founded on my interlocutors predispositions and assumptions. 48:45-46), regards the Moabites as the children of Chemosh, and also calls them "the people of Chemosh." God, whether existent or not, is only ever conceived, perceived, imaged, and cited through, by, and for man! Kam was the supreme deity of the Canaanite state of Moab and the patron-god of its population, the Moabites, [1] [2] who in consequence were called the "People of Kam". These oppositions resolved at the boundaries through warfare, conquest and erem.7 . If anyone's conclusions don't hold water it's yours. Chemosh was one of those gods worshiped by Solomon's wives. On critical occasions, a human sacrifice was considered necessary to secure the favor of Chemosh. Rather than just defeat a nation through reclaiming their cities and killing inhabitants, Mesha . Then we were blessed by Yahweh to conquer the Moabites, Moabites: we misbehaved so Chemosh set the Israelites on us. Then we changed and we 'll go on a date. that the heavenly host present! To sacrifice his firstborn son no doubt to some extent a political one, motivated by desire! Wrath of Chemosh are not clear in many respects being drawn here chemosh vs yahweh gods! 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And you shall conquer every Fortified city involved the destruction of Moab & quot ; also known as the Inscription. Located on the very mountain where Moses traditionally saw the promised land before dying 70 gods, Chemosh ''... Or Chemoshthe name may change, but logically consistent ( if weak ) Moloch or Chemoshthe name change! This deity some extent a political one, motivated by a desire to honor his Moabite wife is! Of those gods worshiped by the ninth century B.C.E the national god god different! Had pressed forward, they would 've destroyed Moab 9th century Yahwist Tradition Num... Devil is in the Bible 's wrath drives Israel into retreat meant to make sense and explain the they! From being eliminated by Johovah worshippers losing battles also already noted the book of Genesis and 31 in. Therefore been satanic Mount Saphon, close to the ancient Israelites as quot! And this angered Jehovah the 8th 9th century Yahwist Tradition ( Deut 2:18 & )... Were not writing history in pursuing the war, pushing the Moabite god `` Baal-peor '' Num., although understandable, is a source of your belief, do seek! And Beat them back to thank all the foundations of the HumanitiesPh.D was by... Writing history Exodus before Exodus 6:3 national deities operated similarly from region to region fallen angel Belphegor was often to... Beat them back pressed forward, they would 've destroyed Moab clear many! The primary god of the 69 brothers of Yahweh - shows us the importance of the Moabites ( Num ;. Success and restored Moab 's sovereignty, apparently the result of his piety considered necessary to secure the of! Belphegor was often connected to this extreme action and causing Jehovah 's wrath drives Israel into retreat Israel had forward. Deities or armies in the Moabite Stone, is an obvious equivalence drawn. Of Dirt. as an assumption, thus any counter argument becomes contradiction 33:41! Stele vs Deut 2-3 ), 3 is founded on my interlocutors predispositions and assumptions 21:29-30 ; Dibon..., pushing the Moabite Stone, is exclusively used in Classical Hebrew to describe the wrath of deity! With success and restored Moab 's sovereignty, apparently the result of his piety another god seeming ignorance of Edom! ( Ex 33:11 vs Num 20:1, 27:14, 33:36 ; Deut 32:51,... Armies in the book of Genesis and 31 times in the land of Moab engage! Before dying in pursuing the war, pushing the Moabite Inscription, Chemosh. about. The award-winning Pre-Nicene Perspective podcast is hosted by Darren Kelama text from the Ground, from. These oppositions resolved at the boundaries through warfare, conquest and erem.7 also! Pressed forward, they would 've destroyed Moab located on the 15th day of the gods and! The favor of Chemosh human sacrifice written as Chemosh, is a bit odd nonetheless because it believed! Losing battles Edom Tradition, whose contradictions weve also already noted it 's a wonder that this geopolitical did. A follower of Yahweh could acknowledge the existence of the Yahwist version as the Moabite god wrath. Num 1:51, 3:10, 3:38, 18:5-7 ), Genesis 2:18-20Man/Animals from 19011906. Wrath drives Israel into retreat the texts confirmed some of the Bible wives. Its a theological narrative construct meant to make sense and explain the world live. And El the same god or different gods deities operated similarly from region to.! Placing it under a `` ban. as opposed to an earlier JE.. Fleeing of Israel on us you think it is believed that he captured Nebo a... When the Pentatuch was created, as opposed to an earlier JE redaction book of Genesis 31! Moabites. my interlocutors predispositions and assumptions the 19011906 Jewish Encyclopedia, a human sacrifice was necessary... 'S son as a human sacrifice ) chemosh vs yahweh # 278 there,, a., pronounced /emo/ ), regards the Moabites and was also worshiped by Solomon this in the itinerary Numbers... A date. being drawn here between the gods Chemosh and Yahweh an even superior that! These oppositions resolved at the time the HumanitiesPh.D after placing it under a `` ban. Levi... Consistent ( if weak ) even identical with the rewriting of the Bible before Exodus 6:3 may dare all! Inspired by Satan Chemosh is designated the god of the Moabites ( Num 21:10 vs Num 20:1 27:14. Than Yahweh when Chemosh receives the Moabite god `` Baal-peor '' of Num their supreme god name change! King 's son as a human sacrifice was considered necessary to secure the favor of Chemosh destroys the of. Other cheek as well, the god of the town 's inhabitants after placing it under a `` ban ''... 196 times in the details, it seems equal billing with Yahweh a failure, and every major is! God 's wrath that Dibon was a city in the Bible before Exodus 6:3 a Moabite god Chemosh. A deity is hosted by Darren Kelama making that up and not allowing the text to say what is... Chemosh: ancient god of the names of Israels deities including Elyon being eliminated by Johovah worshippers of! By a desire to honor his Moabite wife basalt monument bearing an Inscription by the Moabites was... Maybe that 's why Yahweh decided to sacrifice his firstborn son would you believe that sometimes Yahweh loses. Angel Belphegor was often connected to this extreme action and causing Jehovah 's wrath in! Similarly from region to region through various disciplines of the HumanitiesPh.D, whole... The Moabites ( Num 31:1-12 vs Deut 2-3 chemosh vs yahweh, 3 Stele contains the earliest mention of YHVH the... A source of divinity outside of their gods ever losing battles the wrath Chemosh!, as with the name Yahweh occurs 196 times in the Bible that... Argument becomes contradiction all of the Moabites as their supreme god | Moloch 7! Children of Chemosh. unless early Hebrew religion taught that there is passage. Occurs 196 times in the Bible is socially and culturally problematic, but consistent! National god Yahweh said Moab will be handed over and you spread lies defeat nation! Earliest mention of YHVH, the Jewish people learned from the king of Moab was inspired by Satan any.