ELISHA ; JEHORAM ; JEHOSHAPHAT.) Under Je hoash (B. C. 849) we see them undertake incur sions into the kingdom of Israel, and carry on offensive war against it (2 Kings xiii :2o).
Though the subsequent history of Israel often mentions the Moabites, yet it is silent respecting a circumstance which, in relation to one passage, is of the greatest importance, namely, the re conquest of the territory between the Arnon and the Jabbok, which was wrested from the Moabites by the Amorites, and afterwards of the territory possessed by the tribes of Reuben and Gad. This territory in general we see, according to Is. xvi, in the possession of the Moabites again. Even Selah, the ancient capital of the Edomites, seems likewise, from Is. xvi :1, to have belonged to them, at least for a time. The most natural supposition is that of Reland (Palwstina, p. 72o), Paulus (Clovis, p. to), and Rosenmuller (in /oc.), that, after the carrying away of those tribes into cap tivity, the Moabites occupied their territory ; as it is expressly stated (Jer. xlix :1-5) that the Am orites intruded themselves into the territory of the captive Gadites, as the Edomites did in re spect to the Jews at a later period (Joseph. De Bell. Ind. v. 79).
(3) Under Nebuchadnezzar. Still later, un der Nebuchadnezzar, we see the Moabites acting as the auxiliaries of the Chaldmans (2 Kings xxiv :2), and beholding with malicious tion the destruction of a kindred people (Ezek.
xxv :8-H) ; yet, according to an account in Jo sephus (Antiq. x :9, 7), Nebuchadnezzar, when on his way to Egypt, made war upon them, and subdued them, together with the Ammonites, five years after the destruction of Jerusalem.
(4) National Ilostility. That continual wars and contentions must have created a feeling of national hostility between the Hebrews and the Moabites, may be readily conceived. This feeling manifested itself on the part of the Hebrews, sometimes in bitter proverbs, sometimes in the denunciations of the prophets; on the part of the Moabites in proud boastings and expressions of contempt (Is. xvi :6).
Among the prophecies, however, that of Balaam (Num. xxii-xxiv) is, above all, remarkable, in
which this ancient prophet (who withal was not an Israelite), hired by Moab to curse. is impelled Dy the Divine Spirit to bless Israel, and to an nounce the future destruction of Moab by a mighty hero in Israel (Num. xxiv :17). It is a genuine epic representation worthy of the greatest poet of any age. Nor should we overlook the song of triumph and scorn respecting Moab, sug gested by Heshbon, and obscure only as to its origin (Num. xxi :17-3o). Among the later proph ets, Amos (ii:t-3) predicts their destruction in consequence of their cruelty to the king of Edom; probably with reference to the war recorded in 2 Kings iii, when the Edomites were confederate with the Hebrews; although the particular in stance of cruelty is not there specified. Zephaniah condetnns them to punishment for their scorn and contempt of Israel. Jeremiah repeats the denunciation of evil prcdicted by Zephaniah, for the most part in the words of Numbers and Isaiah (Jer. xlviii; comp. also ix:26; xxv:20 ; and Ezekiel threatens them with punishment for their malicious joy at the overthrow of Judxa (xxv :6-1 t). Moreover, the subjection of Moab finds a place in every ideal description of splendid wars and golden ages predicted for Israel (Is. xi: 14; xxv :to; Ps. lx :8). 'Moab is my wash-pot' (Ps. lxxxiii :6).
(5) After the Exile. After the Exile, an in timate connection between the two nations had found place by means of intermarriages (Ezra ix :1, sq.; Neh. xiii :1), which, however, were dissolved by the theocratic zeal of Ezra. The last (chronologically) notice of the Moabites which occurs in Scripture is in Dan. xi:4t, which contains an obscure intimation of the escape of the Moabites from the overthrow with which neighboring countries would be visited; but Jo sephus, in the history of Alexander Jannmus, men tions the cities between Arnon and Jabbok under the title of cities of Aloab (Antiq. xiii:15). Thenceforth their name is lost under that of the Arabians, as was also the case with Ammon and Edom.