Lives of Scripture
Moab
A nation east of the Dead Sea descended from Lot's son Moab (Genesis 19:36-38), often hostile toward Israel. Balak, king of Moab, hired Balaam to curse Israel as they camped nearby (Numbers 22-24), and Moabite women later drew Israelite men into idolatry at Baal-peor (Numbers 25). Ruth was a Moabite who married into an Israelite family, and after being widowed chose to follow her mother-in-law Naomi back to Bethlehem and to Naomi's God, later becoming David's great-grandmother (Ruth 1-4) — striking given that the law of Moses barred Moabites from Israel's assembly for ten generations (Deuteronomy 23:3-6). Moab remained a recurring military opponent through the monarchy period and drew judgment oracles from several prophets.
References: Genesis 19:37; Numbers 22-25; Ruth 1; 2 Kings 3; 2 Kings 24:2
People connected to Moab
- Balak (M) — its king, who hired Balaam to curse Israel
Numbers 22:2-6
- Chilion (M) — Elimelech's son, who married and died in this land
Ruth 1:2-5
- Eglon (M) — its king, who oppressed Israel for eighteen years
Judges 3:12-14
- Ehud (M) — killed King Eglon and subdued this nation
Judges 3:21-30
- Elimelech (M) — left Bethlehem for this land in a famine and died there
Ruth 1:1-3
- Joram (M) — Israel's king, who marched against this land with Judah and Edom
2 Kings 3:6-7
- Mahlon (M) — Elimelech's son, who married Ruth in this land and died there
Ruth 1:4-5
- Mesha (M) — its king, who rebelled against Israel and sacrificed his own son
2 Kings 3:4-5; 2 Kings 3:27
- Naomi (F) — left this land for Bethlehem after losing her husband and both sons here
Ruth 1:6-7
- Orpah (F) — Naomi's daughter-in-law, who turned back to this, her own land
Ruth 1:14
- Ruth (F) — a widow of this land who left it to follow Naomi and Naomi's God
Ruth 1:16-19