Genesis 19:37

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

The older daughter gave birth to a son and named him Moab. He is the ancestor of the Moabites of today.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַתֵּ֤לֶד הַבְּכִירָה֙ בֵּ֔ן וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ מוֹאָ֑ב ה֥וּא אֲבִֽי־מוֹאָ֖ב עַד־הַיּֽוֹם׃

Transliteration

wə-tēled habbəkîrāh bēn wə-tiqrāʾ šəmô môʾāb hûʾ ʾăbî-môʾāb ʿad-hayyôm

Grammar Details

• *wə-tēled*: consecutive imperfect, 3rd person feminine singular - and she bore
• *habbəkîrāh*: definite article + noun, feminine singular - the firstborn/elder
• *bēn*: noun, masculine singular - son
• *wə-tiqrāʾ*: consecutive imperfect, 3rd person feminine singular - and she called
• *šəmô*: noun, masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix - his name
• *môʾāb*: proper noun - Moab
• *hûʾ*: 3rd person masculine singular pronoun - he
• *ʾăbî*: noun, masculine singular construct - father of
• *ʿad*: preposition - until
• *hayyôm*: definite article + noun, masculine singular - the day/today

Word Meanings

• *wə-tēled*: and she gave birth to/and she bore
• *môʾāb*: means 'from father' in Hebrew (wordplay)
• *ʿad*-*hayyôm*: until this day/until now

Referenced Verses

• Deut 2:9 : 9 Then the LORD said to me,“Do not harass Moab and provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land as your territory. This is because I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as their possession.
• Deut 2:19 : 19 But when you come close to the Ammonites, do not harass or provoke them because I am not giving you any of the Ammonites’ land as your possession; I have already given it to Lot’s descendants as their possession.”
• Deut 23:3 : 3 An Ammonite or Moabite may not enter the assembly of the LORD; to the tenth generation none of their descendants shall ever do so,
• Judg 3:1-9 : 1 These were the nations the LORD permitted to remain so he could use them to test Israel– he wanted to test all those who had not experienced battle against the Canaanites. 2 He left those nations simply because he wanted to teach the subsequent generations of Israelites, who had not experienced the earlier battles, how to conduct holy war. 3 These were the nations: the five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath. 4 They were left to test Israel, so the LORD would know if his people would obey the commands he gave their ancestors through Moses. 5 The Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 6 They took the Canaanites’ daughters as wives and gave their daughters to the Canaanites; they worshiped their gods as well. 7 Othniel: A Model Leader The Israelites did evil in the LORD’s sight. They forgot the LORD their God and worshiped the Baals and the Asherahs. 8 The LORD was furious with Israel and turned them over to King Cushan-Rishathaim of Armon-Haraim. They were Cushan-Rishathaim’s subjects for eight years. 9 When the Israelites cried out for help to the LORD, he raised up a deliverer for the Israelites who rescued them. His name was Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. 10 The LORD’s Spirit empowered him and he led Israel. When he went to do battle, the LORD handed over to him King Cushan-Rishathaim of Armon and he overpowered him. 11 The land had rest for forty years; then Othniel son of Kenaz died. 12 Deceit, Assassination, and Deliverance The Israelites again did evil in the LORD’s sight. The LORD gave King Eglon of Moab control over Israel because they had done evil in the LORD’s sight. 13 Eglon formed alliances with the Ammonites and Amalekites. He came and defeated Israel, and they seized the city of date palm trees. 14 The Israelites were subject to King Eglon of Moab for eighteen years. 15 When the Israelites cried out for help to the LORD, he raised up a deliverer for them. His name was Ehud son of Gera the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The Israelites sent him to King Eglon of Moab with their tribute payment. 16 Ehud made himself a sword– it had two edges and was eighteen inches long. He strapped it under his coat on his right thigh. 17 He brought the tribute payment to King Eglon of Moab.(Now Eglon was a very fat man.) 18 After Ehud brought the tribute payment, he dismissed the people who had carried it. 19 But he went back once he reached the carved images at Gilgal. He said to Eglon,“I have a secret message for you, O king.” Eglon said,“Be quiet!” All his attendants left. 20 When Ehud approached him, he was sitting in his well-ventilated upper room all by himself. Ehud said,“I have a message from God for you.” When Eglon rose up from his seat, 21 Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled the sword from his right thigh, and drove it into Eglon’s belly. 22 The handle went in after the blade, and the fat closed around the blade, for Ehud did not pull the sword out of his belly. 23 As Ehud went out into the vestibule, he closed the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them. 24 When Ehud had left, Eglon’s servants came and saw the locked doors of the upper room. They said,“He must be relieving himself in the well-ventilated inner room.” 25 They waited so long they were embarrassed, but he still did not open the doors of the upper room. Finally they took the key and opened the doors. Right before their eyes was their master, sprawled out dead on the floor! 26 Now Ehud had escaped while they were delaying. When he passed the carved images, he escaped to Seirah. 27 When he reached Seirah, he blew a trumpet in the Ephraimite hill country. The Israelites went down with him from the hill country, with Ehud in the lead. 28 He said to them,“Follow me, for the LORD is about to defeat your enemies, the Moabites!” They followed him, captured the fords of the Jordan River opposite Moab, and did not let anyone cross. 29 That day they killed about ten thousand Moabites– all strong, capable warriors; not one escaped. 30 Israel humiliated Moab that day, and the land had rest for eighty years. 31 After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath. He killed six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. So he also delivered Israel.
• Ruth 4:10 : 10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, as my wife to raise up a descendant who will inherit his property so the name of the deceased might not disappear from among his relatives and from his village. You are witnesses today.”
• 2 Sam 8:1-9 : 1 David Subjugates Nearby Nations Later David defeated the Philistines and subdued them. David took Metheg Ammah from the Philistines. 2 He defeated the Moabites. He made them lie on the ground and then used a rope to measure them off. He put two-thirds of them to death and spared the other third. The Moabites became David’s subjects and brought tribute. 3 David defeated King Hadadezer son of Rehob of Zobah when he came to reestablish his authority over the Euphrates River. 4 David seized from him 1,700 charioteers and 20,000 infantrymen. David cut the hamstrings of all but a hundred of the chariot horses. 5 The Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, but David killed 22,000 of the Arameans. 6 David placed garrisons in the territory of the Arameans of Damascus; the Arameans became David’s subjects and brought tribute. The LORD protected David wherever he campaigned. 7 David took the golden shields that belonged to Hadadezer’s servants and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 From Tebah and Berothai, Hadadezer’s cities, King David took a great deal of bronze. 9 When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, 10 he sent his son Joram to King David to extend his best wishes and to pronounce a blessing on him for his victory over Hadadezer, for Toi had been at war with Hadadezer. He brought with him various items made of silver, gold, and bronze. 11 King David dedicated these things to the LORD, along with the dedicated silver and gold that he had taken from all the nations that he had subdued, 12 including Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amalek. This also included some of the plunder taken from King Hadadezer son of Rehob of Zobah. 13 David became famous when he returned from defeating the Edomites in the Valley of Salt; he defeated 18,000 in all. 14 He placed garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s subjects. The LORD protected David wherever he campaigned. 15 David reigned over all Israel; he guaranteed justice for all his people. 16 David’s Cabinet Joab son of Zeruiah was general in command of the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was secretary; 17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was scribe; 18 Benaiah son of Jehoiada supervised the Kerithites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests.
• 2 Kgs 3:1-9 : 1 Moab Fights with Israel In the eighteenth year of King Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah, Ahab’s son Jehoram became king over Israel in Samaria; he ruled for twelve years. 2 He did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not to the same degree as his father and mother. He did remove the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made. 3 Yet he persisted in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who encouraged Israel to sin; he did not turn from them. 4 Now King Mesha of Moab was a sheep breeder. He would send as tribute to the king of Israel 100,000 male lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. 5 When Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 6 At that time King Jehoram left Samaria and assembled all Israel for war. 7 He sent this message to King Jehoshaphat of Judah:“The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you fight with me against Moab?” Jehoshaphat replied,“I will join you in the campaign; my army and horses are at your disposal.” 8 He then asked,“Which invasion route are we going to take?” Jehoram answered,“By the road through the wilderness of Edom.” 9 So the kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom set out together. They wandered around on the road for seven days and finally ran out of water for the men and animals they had with them. 10 The king of Israel said,“Oh no! Certainly the LORD has summoned these three kings so that he can hand them over to the king of Moab!” 11 Jehoshaphat asked,“Is there no prophet of the LORD here that we might seek the LORD’s direction?” One of the servants of the king of Israel answered,“Elisha son of Shapat is here; he used to be Elijah’s servant.” 12 Jehoshaphat said,“Yes, he receives the LORD’s messages.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to visit him. 13 Elisha said to the king of Israel,“Why are you here? Go to your father’s prophets or your mother’s prophets!” The king of Israel replied to him,“No, for the LORD is the one who summoned these three kings so that he can hand them over to Moab.” 14 Elisha said,“As certainly as the LORD of Heaven’s Armies lives(whom I serve), if I did not respect King Jehoshaphat of Judah, I would not pay attention to you or acknowledge you. 15 But now, get me a musician.” When the musician played, the LORD energized him, 16 and he said,“This is what the LORD has said,‘Make many cisterns in this valley,’ 17 for this is what the LORD has said,‘You will not feel any wind or see any rain, but this valley will be full of water and you and your cattle and animals will drink.’ 18 This is an easy task for the LORD; he will also hand Moab over to you. 19 You will defeat every fortified city and every important city. You must chop down every productive tree, stop up all the springs, and cover all the cultivated land with stones.” 20 Sure enough, the next morning, at the time of the morning sacrifice, water came flowing down from Edom and filled the land. 21 Now all Moab had heard that the kings were attacking, so everyone old enough to fight was mustered and placed at the border. 22 When they got up early the next morning, the sun was shining on the water. To the Moabites, who were some distance away, the water looked red like blood. 23 The Moabites said,“It’s blood! The kings must have fought one another! The soldiers have struck one another down! Now, Moab, seize the plunder!” 24 When they approached the Israelite camp, the Israelites rose up and struck down the Moabites, who then ran from them. The Israelites thoroughly defeated Moab. 25 They tore down the cities and each man threw a stone into every cultivated field until they were covered. They stopped up every spring and chopped down every productive tree. Only Kir Hareseth was left intact, but the slingers surrounded it and attacked it. 26 When the king of Moab realized he was losing the battle, he and 700 swordsmen tried to break through and attack the king of Edom, but they failed. 27 So he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him as king, and offered him up as a burnt sacrifice on the wall. There was an outburst of divine anger against Israel, so they broke off the attack and returned to their homeland.
• Num 21:29 : 29 Woe to you, Moab. You are ruined, O people of Chemosh! He has made his sons fugitives, and his daughters the prisoners of King Sihon of the Amorites.
• Num 22:1-9 : 1 Balaam Refuses to Curse Israel The Israelites traveled on and camped in the rift valley plains of Moab on the side of the Jordan River across from Jericho. 2 Balak son of Zippor saw all that the Israelites had done to the Amorites. 3 And the Moabites were greatly afraid of the people, because they were so numerous. The Moabites were sick with fear because of the Israelites. 4 So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian,“Now this mass of people will lick up everything around us, as the bull devours the grass of the field.” Now Balak son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at this time. 5 And he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates River in the land of Amaw, to summon him, saying,“Look, a nation has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth, and they are settling next to me. 6 So now, please come and curse this nation for me, for they are too powerful for me. Perhaps I will prevail so that we may conquer them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.” 7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fee for divination in their hand. They came to Balaam and reported to him the words of Balak. 8 He replied to them,“Stay here tonight, and I will bring back to you whatever word the LORD may speak to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. 9 And God came to Balaam and said,“Who are these men with you?” 10 Balaam said to God,“Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent a message to me, saying, 11 “Look, a nation has come out of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth. Come now and put a curse on them for me; perhaps I will be able to defeat them and drive them out.” 12 But God said to Balaam,“You must not go with them; you must not curse the people, for they are blessed.” 13 So Balaam got up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak,“Go to your land, for the LORD has refused to permit me to go with you.” 14 So the princes of Moab departed and went back to Balak and said,“Balaam refused to come with us.” 15 Balaam Accompanies the Moabite Princes Balak again sent princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. 16 And they came to Balaam and said to him,“Thus says Balak son of Zippor:‘Please do not let anything hinder you from coming to me. 17 For I will honor you greatly, and whatever you tell me I will do. So come, put a curse on this nation for me.’” 18 Balaam replied to the servants of Balak,“Even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I could not transgress the commandment of the LORD my God to do less or more. 19 Now therefore, please stay the night here also, that I may know what more the LORD might say to me.” 20 God came to Balaam that night, and said to him,“If the men have come to call you, get up and go with them, but the word that I will say to you, that you must do.” 21 So Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab. 22 God Opposes Balaam Then God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him. 23 And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand, so the donkey turned aside from the road and went into the field. But Balaam beat the donkey, to make her turn back to the road. 24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a path among the vineyards, where there was a wall on either side. 25 And when the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed herself into the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So he beat her again. 26 Then the angel of the LORD went farther, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she crouched down under Balaam. Then Balaam was angry, and he beat his donkey with a staff. 28 Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam,“What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?” 29 And Balaam said to the donkey,“You have made me look stupid; I wish there were a sword in my hand, for I would kill you right now.” 30 The donkey said to Balaam,“Am I not your donkey that you have ridden ever since I was yours until this day? Have I ever attempted to treat you this way?” And he said,“No.” 31 Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way with his sword drawn in his hand; so he bowed his head and threw himself down with his face to the ground. 32 The angel of the LORD said to him,“Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Look, I came out to oppose you because what you are doing is perverse before me. 33 The donkey saw me and turned from me these three times. If she had not turned from me, I would have killed you but saved her alive.” 34 Balaam said to the angel of the LORD,“I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood against me in the road. So now, if it is evil in your sight, I will go back home.” 35 But the angel of the LORD said to Balaam,“Go with the men, but you may only speak the word that I will speak to you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. 36 Balaam Meets Balak When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at a city of Moab which was on the border of the Arnon at the boundary of his territory. 37 Balak said to Balaam,“Did I not send again and again to you to summon you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?” 38 Balaam said to Balak,“Look, I have come to you. Now, am I able to speak just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth.” 39 So Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. 40 And Balak sacrificed bulls and sheep, and sent some to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him. 41 Then on the next morning Balak took Balaam, and brought him up to Bamoth Baal. From there he saw the extent of the nation.
• Num 24:1-9 : 1 Balaam Prophesies Yet Again When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go as at the other times to seek for omens, but he set his face toward the wilderness. 2 When Balaam lifted up his eyes, he saw Israel camped tribe by tribe; and the Spirit of God came upon him. 3 Then he uttered this oracle:“The oracle of Balaam son of Beor; the oracle of the man whose eyes are open; 4 the oracle of the one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, although falling flat on the ground with eyes open: 5 ‘How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, and your dwelling places, O Israel! 6 They are like valleys stretched forth, like gardens by the river’s side, like aloes that the LORD has planted, and like cedar trees beside the waters. 7 He will pour the water out of his buckets, and their descendants will be like abundant water; their king will be greater than Agag, and their kingdom will be exalted. 8 God brought them out of Egypt. They have, as it were, the strength of a young bull; they will devour hostile people and will break their bones and will pierce them through with arrows. 9 They crouch and lie down like a lion, and as a lioness, who can stir him? Blessed is the one who blesses you, and cursed is the one who curses you!’” 10 Then Balak became very angry at Balaam, and he struck his hands together. Balak said to Balaam,“I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have done nothing but bless them these three times! 11 So now, go back where you came from! I said that I would greatly honor you, but now the LORD has stood in the way of your honor.” 12 Balaam said to Balak,“Did I not also tell your messengers whom you sent to me, 13 ‘If Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD to do either good or evil of my own will, but whatever the LORD tells me I must speak’? 14 And now, I am about to go back to my own people. Come now, and I will advise you as to what this people will do to your people in the future.” 15 Balaam Prophesies a Fourth Time Then he uttered this oracle:“The oracle of Balaam son of Beor; the oracle of the man whose eyes are open; 16 the oracle of the one who hears the words of God, and who knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, although falling flat on the ground with eyes open: 17 ‘I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not close at hand. A star will march forth out of Jacob, and a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the skulls of Moab, and the heads of all the sons of Sheth. 18 Edom will be a possession, Seir, his enemies, will also be a possession; but Israel will act valiantly. 19 A ruler will be established from Jacob; he will destroy the remains of the city.’” 20 Balaam’s Final Prophecies Then Balaam looked on Amalek and delivered this oracle:“Amalek was the first of the nations, but his end will be that he will perish.” 21 Then he looked on the Kenites and uttered this oracle:“Your dwelling place seems strong, and your nest is set on a rocky cliff. 22 Nevertheless the Kenite will be consumed. How long will Asshur take you away captive?” 23 Then he uttered this oracle:“O, who will survive when God does this! 24 Ships will come from the coast of Kittim, and will afflict Asshur, and will afflict Eber, and he will also perish forever.” 25 Balaam got up and departed and returned to his home, and Balak also went his way.