Editing Moab (section)

==Religion==
References to the religion of Moab are scant. Most of the Moabites followed the [[ancient Semitic religion]] like other [[ancient Semitic-speaking peoples]], and the [[Book of Numbers]] says that they induced the Israelites to join in their [[sacrifice]]s ({{bibleverse||Num|25:2|HE}}; {{bibleverse||Judges|10:6|HE}}). Their chief god seems to have been [[Chemosh]],<ref>Holm, Tawny L. (2005). [https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/moabite-religion#:~:text=MOABITE%20RELIGION%20.,escarpment%20and%20the%20Arabian%20Desert. «Moabite Religion»]. ''Encyclopedia of Religion''. 30 Jul. 2022 https://www.encyclopedia.com.</ref> and the Bible refers to them as the "people of Chemosh" ({{bibleverse||Num|21:29|HE}}; {{bibleverse||Jer|48:46|HE}}). During the Iron Age, several Moabite cultic sites have been found in places such as [[Deir Alla]], [[Tall Damiyah|Damiyah]], [[khirbat Ataruz|Ataruz]] or Khirbet al-Mudayna.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Iron Age Cultic Sites in Transjordan |journal=[[Religions (journal)|Religions]] |last=Steiner |first=Margreet L. |issue=3 |volume=10 |pages=145 |doi=10.3390/rel10030145 |year=2019 |issn=2077-1444|doi-access=free }}</ref>

According to [[II Kings]], at times, especially in dire peril, [[human sacrifice]]s were offered to Chemosh, as by Mesha, who gave up his son and heir to him ({{bibleverse|2|Kings|3:27|HE}}). Nevertheless, [[King Solomon]] built a "high place" for Chemosh on the hill before Jerusalem ({{bibleverse|1|Kings|11:7|HE}}), which the Bible describes as "this detestation of Moab". The altar was not destroyed until the reign of [[Josiah]] ({{bibleverse|2|Kings|23:13|HE}}). The Moabite Stone also mentions (line 17) a female counterpart of Chemosh, [[Ashtar-Chemosh]].