Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

CHEMOSH

(Heb. kĕmôš)

The national god of Moab. Chemosh was known and worshipped elsewhere, especially in northern Syria (Ebla, Ugarit). The 9th-century stela of Mesha, king of Moab, provides most of our knowledge concerning Chemosh. The ideology expressed there is similar to Israelite religious notions: e.g., Chemosh is angry with his land, allowing it to come under foreign (Israelite) control, but later delivers it (ll. 5, 9; cf. 2 Kgs. 3:27). He was apparently militaristic (later associated with the Roman god Ares) and chthonic in nature. The name Chemosh may mean something like “conqueror” or “subduer.”

Biblical evidence regarding Chemosh adds little to the nonbiblical data. Moab is the “people of Chemosh” (Num. 21:29; Jer. 48:46). Solomon built a high place to Chemosh (1 Kgs. 11:7; cf. Mesha stela ll. 3-4) which Josiah later defiled (2 Kgs. 23:13). The worship of Chemosh is one of the reasons for the division of the kingdom (1 Kgs. 11:33). Jeremiah proclaims judgment against Moab and Chemosh (Jer. 48:7, 13, 46). Various attempts have been to explain the reference in Judg. 11:24 to Chemosh as the god of the Ammonites, but without satisfaction.

Bibliography. H.-P. Müller, “Chemosh,” DDD, 186-89.

Brent A. Strawn

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

CHEMOSH

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)