MESHA STELA (IRON AGE, 9th c. B.C.E.): [ANET., pp. 320-321]

 

The longest inscription from Palestine, the Mesha Stone, records the

victories of King Mesha of Moab (2 Kings 3:4) over the tribal inheritance

of Reuben.

I (am) Mesha, son of Chemosh-[ . . . ], king of

the DiboniteÑmy father (had) reigned over Moab

thirty years, and I reigned after my

father,Ñ(who) made this high place for Chemosh

in Qarhoh [ . . .] because he saved me from all

the kings and caused to triumph over all my

adversaries. As for Omri, king of Israel, he

humbled Moab many years lit. days), 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 ! (Now) Omri had occupied the

land Medeba, and (Israel) had dwelt there in

his time, and half the time of his son (Ahab),

forty years; I Chemosh dwelt there in my time.

And I built Baal-meon, making a reservoir in

it, and I built (10) Qaryaten. Now the men of

Gad had ways dwelt in the land of Ataroth, and

the king Israel had built Ataroth for them; but

I fought against the town and took it and slew

all the people of the town as satiation

(intoxication) for Chemosh Moab. And I brought

back from there Arel (or Oriel), its chieftain,

dragging him before Chemosh in Kerioth and I

settled there men of Sharon and men of

Maharith. And Chemosh said to me, "Go, take

Nebo from Israel!" (15) So I went by night and

fought against it from the break of dawn until

noon, taking and slaying all, seven thousand

men, boys, women, girls and maid-servants, for

I had devoted them to destruction for (the god)

Ashtar-Chemosh. And I took from there the [ . .

. ] of Yahweh, dragging them before Chemosh.

And the king of Israel had built Jahaz, and he

dwelt there while he was fighting against me,

but Chemosh drove him out before me. And (20) I

took from Moab two hundred men, all first class

(warriors), anili them against Jahaz and took

it in order to attach it (the district of)

Dibon. It was I (who) built Qarhoh, the wall of

thc forests and the wall of the citadel; I also

built its gates and I built its towers and I

built the king's house, and I made both of its

reservoirs for water inside the tower.  And

there was no cistern inside the town at Qarhoh,

so I said to all the people, "Let each of you

made a cistern for himself in his house!" And I

cut beams for Qarhoh with Israelite captives. I

built Aroer, and I made the highway in the

Arnon (valley); I built Beth-bamoth, for it had

been destroyed; I built Bezer-- for it lay in

ruines-- with fifty men of Dibon, for all Dibon

is (my) loyal dependency.

  And I reigned [in peace] over the hundred

towns which I had added to the land. And I

built (30) [. . .] Medeba and Beth-diblathen

and Beth-baal-meon, and I set there the [. . .]

of the land.  And as for Hauronen, there dwelt

in it [. . . And] Chemosh said to me, "Go down,

fight against Hauronen.  And I went down [ and

I fought against the town and took it], and

Chemosh dwelt there in my time . . . .