All: Daily life in Bible times

Daily life in Bible times

Chemosh

The gods of their world

The destroyer, subduer, or fish-god, the god of the Moabites. The worship of this god, "the abomination of Moab," was introduced at Jerusalem by Solomon, but was abolished by Josiah. Definition from Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897, public domain), a 19th-century Christian reference work. Where scholarship has since moved on: The “fish-god” gloss here has no support in modern scholarship; it appears to carry over the same medieval misreading applied to Dagon. Chemosh is securely attested as the national god of Moab, but the meaning of the name is uncertain.

Sources, trace every one

Every cited verse, in full. Tap any reference to open it in the reader.

  • 1 Kings 11:7bsb

    At that time on a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites.

  • Jeremiah 48:7bsb

    Because you trust in your works and treasures, you too will be captured, and Chemosh will go into exile with his priests and officials.

  • Numbers 21:29bsb

    Woe to you, O Moab! You are destroyed, O people of Chemosh! He gave up his sons as refugees, and his daughters into captivity to Sihon king of the Amorites.

  • 2 Kings 23:13bsb

    The king also desecrated the high places east of Jerusalem, to the south of the Mount of Corruption, which King Solomon of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

  • 2 Kings 3:5bsb

    But after the death of Ahab, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

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Chemosh · Bubble Bible