The Moabite Stone

“AS REGARDS Mesha the king of Moab, he became a sheep raiser and he paid to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs and a hundred thousand unshorn male sheep. And it came about that as soon as Ahab died the king of Moab began to revolt against the king of Israel.” (2 Ki. 3:4, 5) The revolt of King Mesha of Moab is corroborated by ancient writing outside the Bible—an inscribed stone called the Moabite Stone. Written in a dialect differing little from Biblical Hebrew, it was erected by King Mesha partly to commemorate this revolt. In 1868 this stone was found within the territory of Moab. Concerning it, James B. Pritchard writes in Archaeology and the Old Testament:

“A most spectacular enlargement of biblical history has come from a Canaanite inscription, called the Moabite stone, which turned up ninety years ago in the Arab village of Dhiban in Transjordan, about halfway along the east side of the Dead Sea. . . . The famous slab of black basalt [is] inscribed with an account of the wars and building program of Mesha, king of Moab. . . . The text, a long one of thirty-four lines, is written in the first person singular and begins with a somewhat boastful recital by Mesha, king of Moab, of his triumphs over the house of Omri, king of Israel. . . .

“Mesha interpreted the success of his enemy, Israel, as a token of his own god’s anger with his land: ‘As for Omri, king of Israel, he humbled Moab many years, for Chemosh was angry at his land. And his son followed him and he also said, “I will humble Moab.” In my time he spoke thus, but I have triumphed over him and over his house, while Israel hath perished for ever!’

“Mesha [said he] received his instructions for battle from his god Chemosh. When his god gave him a victory, he ‘devoted’—the same word is used in the inscription as appears in the Hebrew account of Joshua devoting the spoils of Jericho to Yahweh—all the inhabitants of the town of Nebo to his god Ashtar-Chemosh. The incident of the taking of Nebo is described by Mesha: ‘And Chemosh said to me, “Go, take Nebo from Israel!” So I went by night and fought against it from the break of dawn until noon, taking it and slaying all, seven thousand men, boys, women, girls and maidservants, for I had devoted them to destruction for the god Ashtar-Chemosh. And I took from there the . . . of Yahweh [Jehovah], dragging them before Chemosh.’ In this brief passage we have the only mention of the name of Israel’s god, Yahweh [Jehovah], ever found outside Palestine proper.”

Moab’s king was indeed boastful. His boastings might seem to indicate that Moab’s false god Chemosh was victorious over the true God Jehovah. But the Moabite stone does not tell the full story. After Mesha’s revolt, King Jehoram of Israel enlisted the aid of King Jehoshaphat of Judah in an expedition against Moab. The allied forces were almost destroyed, however, in the dry wilderness because of lack of water. At this critical time Jehoshaphat called for Elisha the prophet. Elisha explained that Jehovah would help in the war against Moab only for the sake of Jehoshaphat. Said Elisha to the king of Israel: “As Jehovah of armies before whom I do stand is living, if it were not that it is the face of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah for which I am having consideration, I would not look at you or see you.” Jehovah would give the victory over Moab, said Elisha, “and this will indeed be a trivial thing in the eyes of Jehovah and he will certainly give Moab into your hand.” True to Jehovah’s promise, the Moabites were greatly humiliated and defeated.—2 Ki. 3:14, 18.

The false god Chemosh could not save Moab, and King Mesha’s writing on the Moabite Stone cannot cover up Jehovah’s victory over Moab, because the Bible records many prophecies and history attests to their fulfillment. Said Jeremiah: “Moab will certainly be annihilated from being a people, for it is against Jehovah that he has put on great airs [as did Mesha on his Moabite Stone]. Woe to you, O Moab! The people of Chemosh have perished.” And Zephaniah prophesied: “‘Therefore, as I am alive,’ is the utterance of Jehovah of armies, the God of Israel, ‘Moab herself will become just like Sodom, and the sons of Ammon like Gomorrah, a place possessed by nettles, and a salt pit, and a desolate waste, even to time indefinite. . . . This is what they will have instead of their pride, because they reproached and kept putting on great airs against the people of Jehovah of armies.’”—Jer. 48:42, 46; Zeph. 2:9, 10.

Questions From Readers

● What Scriptural principles guide in the training of children in homes where one parent is a dedicated Christian witness of Jehovah and the other is not?—Based on many questions received.

According to the Scriptures the husband and father is the head of the home. If he is a dedicated Christian witness of Jehovah it is his responsibility to see that his family receives spiritual as well as material provisions. (1 Tim. 5:8) Even if his wife is an unbeliever, he must see to it that his children receive proper Christian education and training both at home and at the Kingdom Hall, and he should do all that he can to help his wife see the truth of God’s Word. At the same time he ought to grant his wife freedom to worship God her own way, and she may at times insist on taking the children to her place of worship. Granting her freedom of worship may even mean letting her have a Christmas tree in one room of the house during that season, although the believing husband would not let other rooms of the house or its outside be decorated. By thus extending freedom of worship to his wife he shows that he loves her as he loves himself.—Eph. 5:28, 29.

Likewise, the unbelieving father, since he is the head of the house, may dictate the religion of the children. However, in view of the fact that the mother is responsible for the conduct of the children in the absence of the father, she must inculcate in them right principles and may witness to them as opportunity affords. In cases where the husband is severely opposed, she may not be able to take them in the service or to the meetings, if he forbids it. But she can continue by various means to teach the children Bible principles and truths. If the children ask questions, she has the right to answer them.

Suppose such a father should make an issue of the flag salute. Since every Christian is instructed by God’s Word to make a defense of his belief and course of action, a dedicated mother has the right to make such a defense and to give an explanation, not only to her children but also to her husband, so that all in the family understand her faithfulness to Christian principles. (1 Pet. 3:15) Since the father in this case is opposed to the mother’s having the children take the Scriptural position with regard to flag saluting, then, aside from explaining to the children what the Scriptures have to say on the matter, the mother would have no right to insist that the children comply with the Scriptural principle in this respect, because the husband, as head of the house, requires the children to participate in the ceremony. The children would have to consider their father’s wishes, and the mother may not interfere by sending a note to the teachers asking that her children be excused when the ceremony is conducted in school. However, if after the children learn of their mother’s position and see that it is Scriptural and hence the will of God, and if out of their own conscience they take their stand in school and elsewhere and refuse to participate in such ceremonies, then, of course, such action is not due to insistence on the mother’s part but is of the children’s own accord, and the husband could not find fault with her. After all, it is the child’s responsibility to take his own stand according to his conscience, and if his father punishes him for conscientiously refraining from engaging in patriotic ceremonies, then the child is suffering for righteousness’ sake.—1 Pet. 2:19, 20.

In harmony with the counsel found at 1 Peter 3:1-6, the dedicated Christian wife of an unbeliever will be exemplary in conduct and will show deep respect for her husband and teach the same to their children. However, she will not fail to participate actively in true worship, and by her faithful conduct and the things about which she speaks she will exercise a powerful influence on both her husband and her children, so that they too may be saved.—1 Cor. 7:14, 16.

In the case of the child who shows appreciation for the Bible truths learned from the believing