This verse shows the perilous length humans went to in seeking victory and favor, revealing both the desperation of Moab’s king and the horror that ensued for Israel.
“Then he took his oldest son who was to reign in his place, and offered him as a burnt offering on the wall. And there came great wrath against Israel, and they departed from him and returned to their own land.” (2 Kings 3:27) In this verse, the king of Moab (commonly identified as King Mesha, reigning around the mid-9th century BC) commits an extreme act by sacrificing his heir. The event occurs near the region of Moab, located east of the Dead Sea in a rugged, high plateau area where the Moabites thrived. By placing his son on the wall as a burnt offering, the Moabite king demonstrates desperation to gain favor against Israel and her allies during a fierce battle. The ancient world sometimes resorted to such offerings in a belief that a costly sacrifice could turn the tide of war.
When Scripture says, “And there came great wrath against Israel” (2 Kings 3:27), it suggests that the sacrifice led to a dramatic shift. Some understand this “wrath” to be the Moabite god’s supposed intervention, while others interpret it as a psychological horror that caused the attacking Israelite forces to lose heart. The armies of Israel, under the rule of King Jehoram (circa 852-841 BC), had pursued Moab expecting victory, but this shocking act prompted them to withdraw. Even for the militarily successful Israelite coalition, the cost of confronting a king who would go to such extremes proved too high.
This moment in Israel’s history foreshadows the distinction that the God of Israel never demanded such practices. In Deuteronomy 18:10, the LORD explicitly forbids the sacrifice of children. Later, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross stands in stark contrast, as God Himself offers His own Son willingly for the sins of humanity (John 3:16), but not in a cruel or forced manner—rather as the ultimate act of love and redemption.
Set to dark mode
2 Kings 3:27 meaning
“Then he took his oldest son who was to reign in his place, and offered him as a burnt offering on the wall. And there came great wrath against Israel, and they departed from him and returned to their own land.” (2 Kings 3:27) In this verse, the king of Moab (commonly identified as King Mesha, reigning around the mid-9th century BC) commits an extreme act by sacrificing his heir. The event occurs near the region of Moab, located east of the Dead Sea in a rugged, high plateau area where the Moabites thrived. By placing his son on the wall as a burnt offering, the Moabite king demonstrates desperation to gain favor against Israel and her allies during a fierce battle. The ancient world sometimes resorted to such offerings in a belief that a costly sacrifice could turn the tide of war.
When Scripture says, “And there came great wrath against Israel” (2 Kings 3:27), it suggests that the sacrifice led to a dramatic shift. Some understand this “wrath” to be the Moabite god’s supposed intervention, while others interpret it as a psychological horror that caused the attacking Israelite forces to lose heart. The armies of Israel, under the rule of King Jehoram (circa 852-841 BC), had pursued Moab expecting victory, but this shocking act prompted them to withdraw. Even for the militarily successful Israelite coalition, the cost of confronting a king who would go to such extremes proved too high.
This moment in Israel’s history foreshadows the distinction that the God of Israel never demanded such practices. In Deuteronomy 18:10, the LORD explicitly forbids the sacrifice of children. Later, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross stands in stark contrast, as God Himself offers His own Son willingly for the sins of humanity (John 3:16), but not in a cruel or forced manner—rather as the ultimate act of love and redemption.