Boy Old Testament Rare
Moab
of his father
מוֹאָב mo.av
Moab (Hebrew: מוֹאָב, mo.av) means “of his father”, by traditional interpretation. It appears in 7 verses across 3 books of the Bible. In United States birth records the name is below the reporting threshold. Appears with Bedad in Genesis 36.
The bearer in scripture
One person in scripture bears this name.
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Moab
son of Lot
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 7 across 3 books
- Bearers
- 1 one person only
- Testament
- Old
- Era
- Patriarchal
Using it today
In United States birth records this name is below the reporting threshold. The Social Security Administration does not publish counts under five, so a name given to four children looks the same as one given to none.
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | Genesis 19:37 |
| Last appears | 2 Chronicles 20:23 |
| Cross-references | 141 linked passages |
Names connected to this one
- Bedad co-occurrence Appears with Bedad in Genesis 36.
- Ben-ammi co-occurrence Appears with Ben-ammi in 2 Chronicles 20.
- Husham co-occurrence Appears with Husham in Genesis 36.
- Hadad co-occurrence Appears with Hadad in Genesis 36.
- Eliezer co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Eliezer.
- Jahaziel co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Jahaziel.
- Dodavahu co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Dodavahu.
- Benaiah co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Benaiah.
Origin & meaning
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.19.37;
son of: Lot (H3876) and his first daughter (H3876H);
half-brother of Ben-ammi (H1151);
§ Moab = "of his father"
1) a son of Lot by his eldest daughter
2) the nation descended from the son of Lot
3) the land inhabited by the descendants of the son of Lot
Moab, the son of Lot by his eldest daughter, was the ancestor of the Moabite people.
The biblical story
Moab, as mentioned in Gen.19.37, was the son of Lot, born as a result of an incestuous relationship between Lot and his eldest daughter. This event occurred after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah when Lot and his two daughters were living in a cave in the mountains.
Lot's daughters, believing that they were the only survivors and that there were no men left to father their children, devised a plan to get their father drunk and sleep with him to preserve their family line. The eldest daughter gave birth to a son and named him Moab, which sounds like the Hebrew phrase "from the father," alluding to the child's incestuous origin.
Moab went on to become the ancestor of the Moabite people, who inhabited the region east of the Dead Sea. Throughout the Old Testament, the Moabites are mentioned as one of the neighboring nations of Israel, often in the context of conflict or tension between the two peoples.
The Moabites worshipped a god called Chemosh and were known for their religious practices, which sometimes included child sacrifice. Despite their close relationship to the Israelites through their common ancestor, Lot, the Moabites were often viewed as enemies or rivals of God's chosen people.
The story of Moab's birth serves as an example of the consequences of sin and the importance of trusting in God's plan, even in the face of difficult circumstances. It also highlights the complex relationships between the Israelites and the surrounding nations, which played a significant role in the history and development of God's people.
Key verses
Moab appears in 1 verse. Here are some of the most notable:
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And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.
Genesis 19:37
Show all 1 reference
Genesis (1)
- Genesis 19:37