Who was Chemosh in the Bible?

featured article image

TL;DR:

Chemosh was a false deity associated with Ashtaroth and Molech who was worshiped in abominable ways. Seeing the worship of Chemosh calls us to remove influences that are not true and good in our lives.

from the old testament

  • Chemosh was an ancient god worshiped by the Moabites (Numbers 21:29; Jeremiah 48:7).
  • Scholars believe the name Chemosh possibly means "destroyer" or "fish-god." Chemosh is very similar to the other gods of the time. He is associated with the goddess Ashtaroth, and some scholars believe that other gods of the region, like Molech, were all manifestations of the same deity (1 Kings 11:7, 33).
  • Worship to Chemosh included child sacrifice, as demonstrated by the Moabite king sacrificing his eldest son when he saw they were losing in battle (2 Kings 3:27).
  • The Moabites were not the only ones to worship Chemosh. The Israelites, in their rebellion to God, had a temple to Chemosh. First Kings 11:6–8 says, "So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and did not wholly follow the LORD, as David his father had done. Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. And so he did for all his foreign wives, who made offerings and sacrificed to their gods."
  • King Josiah of Judah later tore down the temple to Chemosh, along with temples to other deities: "And the king defiled the high places that were east of Jerusalem, to the south of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites" (2 Kings 23:13).

from the new testament

  • Chemosh is not mentioned in the New Testament.

implications for today

Reflecting on the story of Chemosh and the practices associated with this ancient god, it becomes evident how easily people can be led astray by the cultural influences around them. The Israelites, despite knowing the one true God, fell into the trap of worshiping Chemosh and other false gods, driven by the influences of foreign alliances and cultural integration. This historical account serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of steadfastness in our faith. Just as King Josiah tore down the high places and returned to the worship of God, we must also examine our own lives for any "high places" where we have allowed cultural or societal influences to overshadow our devotion to God. We need to be vigilant, ensuring that our actions, beliefs, and priorities align with God's will, resisting the temptation to conform to practices that lead us away from Him (Romans 12:2). God calls us to wholeheartedly follow Him, seeking His guidance and strength to remain true to His ways amidst a world full of distractions and false idols (Joshua 24:15).

understand

  • Chemosh, possibly meaning "destroyer" or "fish-god," was an ancient Moabite god associated with other regional deities like Ashtaroth and Molech.
  • Worship of Chemosh included child sacrifice, demonstrated by the Moabite king's sacrifice of his eldest son.
  • In their rebellion, the Israelites built a temple to Chemosh, which King Josiah later destroyed to restore worship of the one true God.

reflect

  • Are there cultural or societal influences in your life that might be leading you away from wholehearted devotion to God?
  • How can you identify and "tear down" the modern-day "high places" in your life that compete with your faith?
  • In what ways can you ensure that your actions and beliefs align with God's will, even when faced with pressures to conform to worldly practices?

engage

  • There is very little information on who the Moabites believed Chemosh to be, with two of the major sources being Old Testament Scripture and a Moabite tablet, the Mesha Stele (or Moabite Stone), a stone dating back to 9th century BC. The stele records that Chemosh became angry with his people and allowed them to be subjugated by Israel, but later helped Mesha to regain their independence and restore Moab's glory.
  • Chemosh makes an appearance in John Milton's Paradise Lost. Milton's fictional epic poem associates Chemosh with lust because ancient gods were often worshipped through sexual acts. Milton describes how King Josiah "drove them thence to Hell" (Book 1, line 418).
  • What lessons can we learn from the Israelites' worship of Chemosh about the dangers of compromising our faith?