2 Kings 3:25-27

The Voice

²⁵Then the Israelites destroyed every city, chopped down every decent tree, plugged up every water hole, and filled all the healthy land with stones along their way. Only the stone walls of Kir-hareseth remained after they were finished with it, but the men with slings later took care of these rocks as well. ²⁶When Moab’s king perceived how dangerous the battle was, he gathered up 700 of his swordsmen who tried to make their way through to Edom’s king. But it was impossible.

²⁷Desperate to survive, Moab’s king offered his own son, his oldest son who was next in line for the throne, as a burnt offering to Moab’s god Chemosh on the wall.

Unlike the Lord, who does not allow child sacrifice (Genesis 22), the Moabites believe their god, Chemosh, responds favorably to the sacrifice of children. Seeing that he is about to lose the war, Mesha makes the greatest sacrifice he can imagine: he offers his oldest son and heir. Not only does Mesha sacrifice the future of his nation and his son’s life, he believes he also sacrifices the boy’s afterlife, since burnt offerings are totally consumed and no body would remain for burial. Mesha’s action gives his army courage to fight, but it is the military engagement that saves his nation. Moab defeats Israel and her allies.

Then a fierce wrath swept against Israel, so they fled from Moab’s king and went back to their own country.

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