Meaning
Moab refers both to a people descended from Lot through his elder daughter and to the territory they occupied east of the Dead Sea.
Biblical Usage
Moab was the territory east of the Dead Sea inhabited by the Moabites. The Moabites were related to Israel through Lot but remained a distinct people.
Moab appears in the history of Israel from the wilderness period through the time of the kings and prophets. Ruth was a Moabite who left Moab with Naomi and settled in Bethlehem, becoming part of the family line leading to David.
Key References
- Genesis 19:30-38
- Numbers 21:11-15
- Numbers 22:1-8
- Deuteronomy 2:8-9
- Judges 3:12-30
- Ruth 1:1-22
- Ruth 4:5-17
- 2 Kings 3:4-27
- Isaiah 15:1-9
- Jeremiah 48:1-47
Related Terms
- Moabite
- Lot
- Ruth
- Ammon
- Bethlehem