Oracle against Moab: After Egypt and Philistia, Moab is the next object of God’s attention. The geographical movement is from south to north and then west to east. While Philistia is to the west of Israel, Moab is directly to the east on the eastern shores of the Dead Sea. Today, this region is occupied by the country of Jordan. It is a region typified by deep wadis and extensive plateaus.

The Bible paints the origin of the Moabites in dark colors. In Genesis 19, after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the death of Lot’s wife, Lot’s daughters get him drunk and have intercourse with him. The products of this act are two boys named Ammon and Moab.

Later, when Israel is freed from Egyptian bondage and travels toward the promised land, they have to pass through Moabite territory. King Ba…