Moab
Who he was
Moab, as mentioned in Genesis 19:37, was the son of Lot, born as a result of an incestuous relationship between Lot and his eldest daughter. This event occurred after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah when Lot and his two daughters were living in a cave in the mountains.
Lot's daughters, believing that they were the only survivors and that there were no men left to father their children, devised a plan to get their father drunk and sleep with him to preserve their family line. The eldest daughter gave birth to a son and named him Moab, which sounds like the Hebrew phrase "from the father," alluding to the child's incestuous origin.
Moab went on to become the ancestor of the Moabite people, who inhabited the region east of the Dead Sea. Throughout the Old Testament, the Moabites are mentioned as one of the neighboring nations of Israel, often in the context of conflict or tension between the two peoples.
The Moabites worshipped a god called Chemosh and were known for their religious practices, which sometimes included child sacrifice. Despite their close relationship to the Israelites through their common ancestor, Lot, the Moabites were often viewed as enemies or rivals of God's chosen people.
The story of Moab's birth serves as an example of the consequences of sin and the importance of trusting in God's plan, even in the face of difficult circumstances. It also highlights the complex relationships between the Israelites and the surrounding nations, which played a significant role in the history and development of God's people.
Family
Every mention
Genesis 1 mention
What the dictionary says
The seed of the father, or, according to others, the desirable land, the eldest son of Lot (Gen. 19:37), of incestuous birth.
Sources
- STEPBible TIPNR · Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References · CC BY 4.0 · github.com/STEPBible/STEPBible-Data
- Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869) · Public domain