מלכים ב, פרק ג׳, פסוק כ״ז

In a moment of profound desperation during a military campaign, a shocking public human sacrifice brings the battle to a sudden halt. The identity of the victim remains a subject of debate among scholars. One perspective suggests that the King of Moab sacrificed his own son and royal heir to demonstrate the ultimate level of devotion [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Conversely, others propose that the victim was actually the son of the King of Edom. In this scenario, the Edomite prince was either already held captive or kidnapped during the chaos of the battle, and was then brutally executed in full view of his father [רד״ק, מצודת דוד].

The motivation behind this extreme act is deeply rooted in historical precedent and spiritual imitation. Seeking to understand why the Israelites consistently experienced miracles, the King of Moab questioned his advisors. They explained how Abraham had been willing to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac. Inspired by this profound dedication, the Moabite king resolved to perform a similar act with his own son [רש״י, רד״ק, חומת אנך]. The nature of the sacrifice itself is viewed in two contrasting ways. According to one tradition, the act was dedicated to idol worship, specifically serving as an offering to the sun [רש״י, מנחת שי, רד״ק]. However, another viewpoint maintains that the king performed the sacrifice for the sake of heaven, acting with a sincere desire to appease God [רד״ק, מנחת שי, חומת אנך].

Following the sacrifice, a great wrath is unleashed against the Israelites, the nature of which depends entirely on who was killed. If the victim was the Edomite prince, the resulting anger was strictly human. The King of Edom was furious with the Israelites, blaming them for initiating a war that cost him his son and resenting their failure to rescue the boy from Moabite hands [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, רלב״ג]. Alternatively, the Israelites themselves were overcome with anger and grief over the horrific tragedy that struck their Edomite ally [רלב״ג]. On the other hand, if the King of Moab sacrificed his own son, the ensuing wrath was divine. The heavenly court brought a severe accusation against the Israelites. Strict justice argued that while a foreign king was willing to surrender his most precious possession for his beliefs, the Israelites consistently failed to dedicate themselves to the will of God, provoking Him daily [ביאור שטיינזלץ, רד״ק]. Furthermore, the grim spectacle served as a heavenly reminder of the Israelites' own past sins of sacrificing their children to idols, ultimately rendering them unworthy of further miracles or divine salvation [רש״י, רד״ק].

The horrifying nature of the event completely broke the spirit of the attacking armies. Deeply shaken by the king's actions, the soldiers felt the continuation of the war could no longer be justified. They abandoned the battlefield, and each respective king retreated to his own country [ביאור שטיינזלץ, רד״ק]. The retreat was not merely a physical withdrawal but a moment of profound spiritual humiliation. The Israelites descended to the lowest depths of despair, sitting on the ground in mourning and deep shame, fully recognizing that a divine punishment had been decreed against them [מנחת שי, רד״ק].