Mesha Stele

Sayce1892 historical source page 83

THE INSCRIPTION OF MESHAl 75 bim; and he also said, I will afflict Moab. In my days (Chemosh) said, (Let us go) and I will see my desire on him and his house, and I will destroy Israel with an everlasting destruction. Now Omri took the land of Medeba, and (the enemy) occupied it in (his days and in) the days of his son, forty years. And Chemosh (had mercy) on it in my days ; and I fortified Baal-Meon, and made therein the tank, and I forti- fied Kiri-athaim. For the men of Gad dwelt in the land of (Atar)oth from of old, and the king (of) Israel fortified for himself Ataroth, and I assaulted the wall and captured it, and killed all the warriors of the wall for the well-pleasing of Chemosh and Moab; and I removed from it all the spoil, and (offered) it before Chemosh in Kirjath ; and I placed therein the men of Siran and the men of Mochrath. And Chemosh said to me, ' "Go take Nebo against Israel." (And I) went in the night, and I fought against it from the break of dawni till noon, and I took it and slew in all seven thousand (men, but I did not kill) the women (and) maidens, for (I) devoted them to Ashtar -Chemosh ; and I took from it the vessels of Yahveh, and offered them before Chemosh. t And the king of Isarel fortified Jahaz and occupied it when he made war against me; and Chemosh drove him out before (me, and) I took from Moab two hundred men, all its poor, and placed them in Jahaz, and took it to annex it to Dibon. I built Kirkha, the w^all of the forest, and the wall of the city, and I built the gates thereof, and I built the towers thereof, and I built the palace, and I made the prisons for the criminals within the walls. And there was no cistern in the wall at Kirkha, and I said to all the people. Make for yourselves, every man, a cistern in his house. And I dug the ditch for Kirkha by means of the (captive) men of Israel. I built Aroer, and I made the road across the Arnon. I built Beth-Bamoth, for it was destroyed ; I built Bezer, for it was cut (down) by the armed men of Dibon, for all Didon was now loyal; and I reigned from Bikran, which I added to my land ; and I built (Beth-Gamul) and Beth-Diblathaim and Beth-Baal-Mecn, and I placed there the poor (people) of the land. And as to Horonaim, (the men of Edom) dwelt therein (from of old). And Chemosh said to me, Go down, make war against Horonaim and take (it. And I assaulted it, and I took it, and) Chemosh (restored it) in my days. Wherefore J. made . . . year ... and I ... .'