כְּמוֹשׁ
Kemosh, the god of the Moabites
Definition
כְּמוֹשׁ (Kemosh) is the national god of the Moabites, a neighboring and often hostile people to ancient Israel. In the Bible, he is presented as a rival deity to Yahweh, the God of Israel. The Moabites are described as worshipping Kemosh, even to the point of child sacrifice (2 Kings 3:27). The biblical narrative highlights the folly of worshipping Kemosh, noting that Solomon built a high place for him, which led to God's anger (1 Kings 11:7, 33). In a notable taunt, the prophet Jeremiah declares that Moab will be ashamed of Kemosh, just as Israel was ashamed of the false god Bethel (Jeremiah 48:13).
Biblical Usage
The name Kemosh appears exclusively in contexts describing Moabite religion or Israel's interaction with it. It is used in historical narratives (Numbers 21:29, Judges 11:24, 1 & 2 Kings) and prophetic judgment (Jeremiah 48). A key pattern is its use to illustrate religious apostasy, as when King Solomon, led astray by his foreign wives, worshipped Kemosh (1 Kings 11:7). It also serves in polemics, where the Moabite god is shown as powerless compared to Yahweh, such as in Jephthah's rhetorical argument (Judges 11:24).
Etymology
The name is thought to derive from a root meaning 'to subdue,' suggesting the title 'the Subduer' or 'the Powerful.' The alternate spelling כְּמִישׁ (Kᵉmîysh) appears in Jeremiah 48:7. Kemosh is linguistically related to the name of the Mesopotamian god Kamish and may be connected to the Canaanite deity Athtar. The etymology reinforces the god's perceived character as a powerful warrior deity, fitting for the national god of Moab.
Semantic Range
Kemosh is a central figure in the Bible's presentation of false gods and idolatry. His worship represents the ultimate spiritual adultery of God's people, turning from the covenant Lord to a lifeless idol. Understanding Kemosh enriches the reading of texts like 1 Kings 11, where Solomon's idolatry directly violates the first commandment and leads to the kingdom's division. It also highlights the biblical theme of Yahweh's supremacy—He is not merely Israel's tribal god but the sovereign Lord over all nations, before whom gods like Kemosh are nothing (Jeremiah 48:7, 13).
In the ancient Near East, Kemosh was the chief deity of the Moabite kingdom, likely viewed as a warrior god and a national protector. The Mesha Stele, a Moabite inscription from the 9th century BC, celebrates Kemosh's deliverance of Moab from Israel, showing how central this god was to Moabite identity and royal propaganda. The biblical portrayal, while polemical, acknowledges this reality, showing that nations like Moab genuinely believed in the power of their gods, a belief the scriptures systematically dismantle.
בַּעַל (Baʿal, H1168) — A title ('lord') for various Canaanite storm/fertility gods, worshipped more broadly than the national god Kemosh. מִלְכֹּם (Milkōm, H4445) — The national god of the Ammonites, another neighboring people; like Kemosh, an idol that led Israel into sin (1 Kings 11:5, 33).
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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