| Easton's Bible Dictionary Middle district, Vulgate, Messa. (1.) A plain in that part of the boundaries of Arabia inhabited by the descendants of Joktan (Genesis 10:30). (2.) Hebrews meysh'a, "deliverance," the eldest son of Caleb (1 Chronicles 2:42), and brother of Jerahmeel. (3.) Hebrews id, a king of Moab, the son of Chemosh-Gad, a man of great wealth in flocks and herds (2 Kings 3:4). After the death of Ahab at Ramoth-Gilead, Mesha shook off the yoke of Israel; but on the ascension of Jehoram to the throne of Israel, that king sought the help of Jehoshaphat in an attempt to reduce the Moabites again to their former condition. The united armies of the two kings came unexpectedly on the army of the Moabites, and gained over them an easy victory. The whole land was devastated by the conquering armies, and Mesha sought refuge in his last stronghold, Kir-harasheth (q.v.). Reduced to despair, he ascended the wall of the city, and there, in the sight of the allied armies, offered his first-born son a sacrifice to Chemosh, the fire-god of the Moabites. This fearful spectacle filled the beholders with horror, and they retired from before the besieged city, and recrossed the Jordan laden with spoil (2 Kings 3:25-27). The exploits of Mesha are recorded in the Phoenician inscription on a block of black basalt found at Dibon, in Moab, usually called the "Moabite stone" (q.v.). Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia MESHA me'-sha:
(1) (mesha`; Codex Vaticanus, Marisa; Codex Alexandrinus, Marisas): Caleb's firstborn son, the father of Ziph, probably the ancestor of the Ziphites (1 Chronicles 2:42).
(2) (mesha'; Codex Vaticanus, Misa; Codex Alexandrinus, Mosa): A Benjamite, son of Shaharaim by his wife Hodesh, born in the land of Moab (1 Chronicles 8:9).
(3) (mesha`; Mosa): A king of Moab. All the Biblical information regarding this monarch is contained in 2 Kings 3. Here we gather that Mesha was contemporary with Ahab, Ahaziah and Jehoram. He was tributary to Israel, his annual contribution consisting of 100,000 lambs and 100,000 rams. after the death of Ahab he asserted his independence. Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and the king of Edom joined forces with Jehoram in an attempt to quell the rebellion at the instance of Elisha, who accompanied the host, water was miraculously provided when the army of the allies was ready to perish of thirst. Mesha came out against them and fell upon the camp. His attack was repulsed with heavy slaughter, and the defeated king was chased by the victors until he took refuge in the great fortress of Kir-hareseth. A vigorous siege was begun. See ing that his case was desperate, Mesha attempted, with 700 men, to break through the lines. Failing in this, he offered his firstborn as a burnt offering upon the wall. Then "there came great wrath upon Israel" (by which, probably, panic is meant), and the besiegers retired, leaving their conquest incomplete.
In his inscription (see MOABITE STONE) Mesha gives an account of his rebellion, naming the places captured and fortified by him. It is not surprising that he says nothing of his defeat by Jehoram and his allies. There is, however, one serious discrepancy. The time Moab was under the supremacy of Israel, during the reign of Omri and half the reign of Ahab, he puts at 40 years. According to Biblical chronology, Omri and Ahab together reigned only 34 years. If, with Mesha, we deduct half the reign of Ahab, the period is reduced to 23 years. It is impossible to add to the length of either reign. So great a difference cannot be explained by the use of round numbers. Why Mesha should wish to increase the time of his people's subjection is not clear, unless, indeed, he thought in this way to magnify the glory of their deliverer.
In Mesha the sentiment of patriotism was wedded to some measure of military capacity. Judging by his inscription, he was also a deeply religious man according to his lights. Substitute "Yahweh" for "Chemosh," and his phraseology might be that of a pious Hebrew king. The sacrifice of his son is at once the mark of the heathen and an index of the strength of his devotion.
(4) (mesha'; Masse): This appears to mark the western boundary of the land occupied by the descendants of Joktan (Genesis 10:30). No certain identification is possible, but several more or less probable have been suggested: e.g.
(a) The Greek Mesene, on the Persian Gulf, not far from the mouth of the Tigris and the Euphrates;
(b) the Syro-Arabian desert, called Mashu in the Assyrian inscriptions; the name here, however, could hardly cover such a vast tract as this; more probably it denoted a place;
(c) Dillmann would alter the vowels and identify it with Massa', a branch of the Ishmaelite stock (Genesis 25:14 1 Chronicles 1:30). This, however, furnishes no clue to the locality, the territory of that tribe being also unidentified.
W. Ewing |  | Multi-Version Concordance Mesha (4 Occurrences) Genesis 10:30 Their dwelling was from Mesha, as you go toward Sephar, the mountain of the east. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 2 Kings 3:4 Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder; and he rendered to the king of Israel the wool of one hundred thousand lambs, and of one hundred thousand rams. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Chronicles 2:42 The sons of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel were Mesha his firstborn, who was the father of Ziph; and the sons of Mareshah the father of Hebron. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV) 1 Chronicles 8:9 He became the father of Hodesh his wife, Jobab, and Zibia, and Mesha, and Malcam, (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) |
