Chemosh

Chemosh ( Moabite: 𐤊𐤌𐤔 ''Kamāš''; he, כְּמוֹשׁ ''Kəmōš'' ; Eblaite: 𒅗𒈪𒅖 ''Kamiš'', Akkadian: 𒅗𒄠𒈲 ''Kâmuš'') was the god of the Moabites. He is most notably attested in the Mesha Stele and the Hebrew Bible. Although he is most readily associated with the Moabites, the Book of Judges () suggests that he may have been the national deity of the Ammonites additionally, despite the people's former patronage of Milcom.

Etymology

The etymology of "Chemosh" is unknown, although it is believed to be related to the Semitic god Shamash. However, given that he is also known from Ebla as ''Kamish'', it is also speculated he might be a form of the Mesopotamian deity Nergal.

In the Bible

According to the Hebrew Bible, the worship of this god, "the abomination of Moab," was introduced at Jerusalem by Solomon ( 1 Kings 11:7), but was abolished by Josiah ( 2 Kings 23:13). (Eleventh-century Jewish commentator Rashi quotes a tradition that Solomon's wives built the temples to Chemosh and other deities, and that Solomon is considered responsible for not stopping them.) On the Moabite stone, Mesha ( 2 Kings 3:5) ascribed his victories over the king of Israel to this god, "and Chemosh drove him out from before me."

According to Morris Jastrow, Jr. and George Aaron Barton in the ''Jewish Encyclopedia'',Entry for "Chemosh"
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The name of the father of Mesha, ''Chemosh-melek'' ("Chemosh is Malik" or "Chemosh is king"; compare Moabite Stone, line 1), indicates the possibility that Chemosh and Malik (or Moloch) were one and the same deity. Book of Judges 11:24 has been thought by some to be a proof of this, since it speaks of Chemosh as the god of the Ammonites, while Moloch is elsewhere their god (compare 1 Kings 11:7, 33). Solomon is said to have built a sanctuary to Chemosh on the Mount of Olives (I Kings 11:7, 33), which was maintained until the reform of Josiah (II Kings 23:13). This movement by Solomon was no doubt to some extent a political one, but it made the worship of Chemosh a part of the religious life of Israel for nearly 400 years.

Literary references

*John Milton, "Paradise Lost", Book I

Next CHEMOS, th' obscene dread of MOABS Sons,

From AROER to NEBO, and the wild

Of Southmost ABARIM; in HESEBON

And HERONAIM, SEONS Realm, beyond

The flowry Dale of SIBMA clad with Vines,

And ELEALE to th' ASPHALTICK Pool.

PEOR his other Name, when he entic'd

ISRAEL in SITTIM on their march from NILE

To do him wanton rites, which cost them woe.

Yet thence his lustful Orgies he enlarg'd

Even to that Hill of scandal he Mount of Olives by the Grove

Of MOLOCH homicide, lust hard by hate;

Till good JOSIAH drove them thence to Hell.

*Harry Turtledove's short alternate history story "Occupation Duty" (collected in ''Atlantis and Other Places'' anthology) features a society where Chemoshism survived to the present day, and the popular image of Chemosh has apparently metamorphosed into something akin to Yahweh.

References

External links

*{{Commons category-inline

Deities in the Hebrew Bible
Fish gods
Sacrifice
Animal gods
Book of Judges
Moab