מלכים ב, פרק ג׳, פסוק ד׳

The kingdom of Moab relied heavily on its vast pastures, making sheep-rearing the heart of its economy. Despite being an independent nation, Moab lived under the political and economic shadow of the kingdom of Israel. This subjugation forced Moab to hand over a massive portion of its greatest natural resource as a heavy tribute.

King Mesha of Moab was known as a great sheep master, a title reflecting his ownership of immense herds. This designation stems from the natural appearance of the sheep, which were typically covered in spots and dots [מצודת דוד, רד״ק]. Mesha built his nation's entire economy around this livestock industry [ביאור שטיינזלץ], specifically cultivating these massive flocks to meet the crushing demands of the tribute owed to Israel [מלבי״ם].

The payment of this tribute was a continuous burden. The primary approach among commentators is that this was a cyclical tax, delivered to the king of Israel year after year [מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. However, others point out that the exact timing is not explicitly defined, suggesting the tribute may have been collected at other agreed-upon intervals rather than strictly annually [רד״ק].

The sheer scale of the tribute was staggering, consisting of two distinct types of livestock. First, Moab provided one hundred thousand fattened lambs, which were carefully raised specifically for their high-quality meat [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Second, they delivered one hundred thousand rams. These rams were handed over with their full, unshorn coats of wool. Keeping the fleece intact before the transfer was a deliberate requirement, as it significantly boosted the economic value of the animals surrendered to Israel.