- MERONOTHITE a name given to Jehdeiah, the herdsman of the royal
asses in the time of David and Solomon (1 Chronicles 27:30), probably as
one being a native of some unknown town called Meronoth. - MEROZ a plain in the north of Palestine, the inhabitants of which were
severely condemned because they came not to help Barak against Sisera
(Judges 5:23: comp. 21:8-10; 1 Samuel 11:7). It has been identified with
Marassus, on a knoll to the north of Wady Jalud, but nothing certainly is
known of it. Like Chorazin, it is only mentioned in Scripture in connection
with the curse pronounced upon it. - MESHA middle district, Vulgate, Messa. (1.) A plain in that part of the
boundaries of Arabia inhabited by the descendants of Joktan (Genesis
10:30).
(2.) Hebrews meysh’a, “deliverance,” the eldest son of Caleb (1 Chronicles
2:42), and brother of Jerahmeel.
(3.) Hebrews id, a king of Moab, the son of Chemosh-Gad, a man of great
wealth in flocks and herds (2 Kings 3:4). After the death of Ahab at
Ramoth-Gilead, Mesha shook off the yoke of Israel; but on the ascension
of Jehoram to the throne of Israel, that king sought the help of
Jehoshaphat in an attempt to reduce the Moabites again to their former
condition. The united armies of the two kings came unexpectedly on the
army of the Moabites, and gained over them an easy victory. The whole
land was devastated by the conquering armies, and Mesha sought refuge in
his last stronghold, Kir-harasheth (q.v.). Reduced to despair, he ascended
the wall of the city, and there, in the sight of the allied armies, offered his
first-born son a sacrifice to Chemosh, the fire-God of the Moabites. This
fearful spectacle filled the beholders with horror, and they retired from
before the besieged city, and recrossed the Jordan laden with spoil (2
Kings 3:25-27).
The exploits of Mesha are recorded in the Phoenician inscription on a
block of black basalt found at Dibon, in Moab, usually called the “Moabite
stone” (q.v.).