Moabite Stone: Discovery, Destruction, and the Debate Over the House of David
Discovered in 1868 by Anglican missionary F.A. Klein at ancient Dibon (present-day Dhiban), the Mesha Stele is a black basalt slab dating back to around 840 BC. After Klein created a sketch, the stele was broken during conflicts. Archaeologist Charles Clermont-Ganneau produced a papier-mâché impression, with the remaining pieces now housed in the Louvre. The inscription narrates the history of Mesha, king of Moab, detailing his battles with Israel, including Moab's subjugation and Chemosh's directive to seize Nebo. Notably, line 31 may allude to the House of David; in 1994, epigrapher André Lemaire contended it should be interpreted as 'the house of David.' This stele serves as a significant artifact of ancient Moab, illustrating Israel's influence in the 9th century BC.
Key facts
- The Moabite Stone, or Mesha Stele, is a broken black basalt slab inscribed around 840 BC.
- Anglican missionary F.A. Klein was shown the stone by Bedouin shepherds in 1868 at ancient Dibon (modern Dhiban).
- The stele was shattered during disputes over its acquisition and protection; reconstructed fragments are in the Louvre.
- Charles Clermont-Ganneau had a papier-mache impression made before the destruction.
- The inscription identifies Mesha, son of Chemosh[ît], king of Moab, the Dibonite, and recounts battles involving Omri, king of Israel, and the gods Yahweh and Chemosh.
- Line 31 is debated as a possible reference to the House of David; André Lemaire argued for this reading in 1994.
- In 2019 Reflectance Transformation Imaging provided new photographic evidence, but Lemaire's reading remains contested.
- The stele and the Bible overlap on the Moabite-Israel war and figures such as Mesha and Omri, each side led by its own god.
Entities
Artists
- F.A. Klein
- Charles Clermont-Ganneau
- André Lemaire
- Mesha
- Omri
Institutions
- Louvre
- Biblical Archaeology Society
- TheCollector
Locations
- Dhiban
- Jordan
- Dibon
- Moab
- Israel
- Dead Sea
- Nebo
- Yahaz
- Paris
- France