This verse shows how tribute in ancient Israel fueled conflicts and demonstrated the balance of power between kingdoms.
Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and used to pay the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. (v.4) This passage introduces us to Mesha, who presided over Moab, a region situated east of the Dead Sea. It underscores his role as a committed tributary to the king of Israel, evidenced by a substantial payment of both livestock and other resources. Such payments serve as an example of how subjugated nations rendered tribute in the ancient Near East, reflecting the broader cultural and political landscape of the time. The abundance of flocks signals that Moab had considerable agricultural wealth, which ensured that Israel’s king received ongoing profit and security in exchange for extended political influence 2 Kings 3:5-27).
Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and used to pay the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. (v.4) Mesha’s reign likely occurred in the 9th century B.C., placing him in a period shortly after King Ahab of Israel. Records such as the Moabite Stone (also known as the Mesha Stele) corroborate certain details of Mesha’s reign, though with a Moabite perspective. Mesha’s forced tribute reveals the dynamics of power between Moab and Israel, setting the stage for conflicts that involved God’s prophets, like Elisha, who spoke truth and brought God’s intervention to these international disputes (2 Kings 3:12-20).
Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and used to pay the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. (v.4) The political tension during Mesha’s time parallels future scriptural themes of loyalty and reliance upon human kingdoms versus dependence on God. While nations vied for allegiance and financial gain, the broader narrative of the Bible emphasizes God’s supreme authority over every ruler, culminating in Jesus as King of kings (1 Timothy 6:15). In Jesus, we see a kingdom supported not by enforced tributes, but by willing hearts and faith-filled devotion, reminding us that lasting power is ultimately found in divine sovereignty rather than human might.
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2 Kings 3:4 meaning
Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and used to pay the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. (v.4) This passage introduces us to Mesha, who presided over Moab, a region situated east of the Dead Sea. It underscores his role as a committed tributary to the king of Israel, evidenced by a substantial payment of both livestock and other resources. Such payments serve as an example of how subjugated nations rendered tribute in the ancient Near East, reflecting the broader cultural and political landscape of the time. The abundance of flocks signals that Moab had considerable agricultural wealth, which ensured that Israel’s king received ongoing profit and security in exchange for extended political influence 2 Kings 3:5-27).
Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and used to pay the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. (v.4) Mesha’s reign likely occurred in the 9th century B.C., placing him in a period shortly after King Ahab of Israel. Records such as the Moabite Stone (also known as the Mesha Stele) corroborate certain details of Mesha’s reign, though with a Moabite perspective. Mesha’s forced tribute reveals the dynamics of power between Moab and Israel, setting the stage for conflicts that involved God’s prophets, like Elisha, who spoke truth and brought God’s intervention to these international disputes (2 Kings 3:12-20).
Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and used to pay the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. (v.4) The political tension during Mesha’s time parallels future scriptural themes of loyalty and reliance upon human kingdoms versus dependence on God. While nations vied for allegiance and financial gain, the broader narrative of the Bible emphasizes God’s supreme authority over every ruler, culminating in Jesus as King of kings (1 Timothy 6:15). In Jesus, we see a kingdom supported not by enforced tributes, but by willing hearts and faith-filled devotion, reminding us that lasting power is ultimately found in divine sovereignty rather than human might.