Mesha's Sacrifice and the Wrath on Israel/5

EN/HEע/E

The Olah of Mesha

Sources

Melakhim II 3מלכים ב' ג׳

(1) Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. (2) And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord; but not like his father, and like his mother; for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made. (3) Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom. (4) Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep-master; and he rendered unto the king of Israel the wool of a hundred thousand lambs, and of a hundred thousand rams. (5) But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. (6) And king Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time, and mustered all Israel. (7) And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying: 'The king of Moab hath rebelled against me; wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle?' And he said: 'I will go up; I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.' (8) And he said: 'Which way shall we go up?' And he answered: 'The way of the wilderness of Edom.' (9) So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom; and they made a circuit of seven days' journey; and there was no water for the host, nor for the beasts that followed them. (10) And the king of Israel said: 'Alas! for the Lord hath called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.' (11) But Jehoshaphat said: 'Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we may inquire of the Lord by him?' And one of the king ofIsrael's servants answered and said: 'Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.' (12) And Jehoshaphat said: 'The word of the Lord is with him.' So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. (13) And Elisha said unto the king of Israel: 'What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother.' And the king of Israel said unto him: 'Nay; for the Lord hath called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.' (14) And Elisha said: 'As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee. (15) But now bring me a minstrel.' And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him. (16) And he said: 'Thus saith the Lord: Make this valley full of trenches. (17) For thus saith the Lord: Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain, yet that valley shall be filled with water; and ye shall drink, both ye and your cattle and your beasts. (18) And this is but a light thing in the sight of the Lord; He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand. (19) And ye shall smite every fortified city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all fountains of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.' (20) And it came to pass in the morning, about the time of making the offering, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water. (21) Now when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered themselves together, all that were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood on the border. (22) And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water some way off as red as blood; (23) and they said: 'This is blood: the kings have surely fought together, and they have smitten each man his fellow; now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.' (24) And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them. And they smote the land, even Moab, mightily. (25) And they beat down the cities; and on every good piece of land they cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the fountains of water, and felled all the good trees; until there was left only Kir-hareseth with the stones of the wall thereof; so the slingers encompassed it, and smote it. (26) And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew sword, to break through unto the king of Edom; but they could not. (27) Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt-offering upon the wall. And there came great wrath upon Israel; and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.

(א) וִיהוֹרָם בֶּן אַחְאָב מָלַךְ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשֹׁמְרוֹן בִּשְׁנַת שְׁמֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה לִיהוֹשָׁפָט מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה וַיִּמְלֹךְ שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה. (ב) וַיַּעֲשֶׂה הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי י"י רַק לֹא כְאָבִיו וּכְאִמּוֹ וַיָּסַר אֶת מַצְּבַת הַבַּעַל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אָבִיו. (ג) רַק בְּחַטֹּאות יָרׇבְעָם בֶּן נְבָט אֲשֶׁר הֶחֱטִיא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל דָּבֵק לֹא סָר מִמֶּנָּה. (ד) וּמֵישַׁע מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב הָיָה נֹקֵד וְהֵשִׁיב לְמֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאָה אֶלֶף כָּרִים וּמֵאָה אֶלֶף אֵילִים צָמֶר. (ה) וַיְהִי כְּמוֹת אַחְאָב וַיִּפְשַׁע מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב בְּמֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל. (ו) וַיֵּצֵא הַמֶּלֶךְ יְהוֹרָם בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא מִשֹּׁמְרוֹן וַיִּפְקֹד אֶת כׇּל יִשְׂרָאֵל. (ז) וַיֵּלֶךְ וַיִּשְׁלַח אֶל יְהוֹשָׁפָט מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה לֵאמֹר מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב פָּשַׁע בִּי הֲתֵלֵךְ אִתִּי אֶל מוֹאָב לַמִּלְחָמָה וַיֹּאמֶר אֶעֱלֶה כָּמוֹנִי כָמוֹךָ כְּעַמִּי כְעַמֶּךָ כְּסוּסַי כְּסוּסֶיךָ. (ח) וַיֹּאמֶר אֵי זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ נַעֲלֶה וַיֹּאמֶר דֶּרֶךְ מִדְבַּר אֱדוֹם. (ט) וַיֵּלֶךְ מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה וּמֶלֶךְ אֱדוֹם וַיָּסֹבּוּ דֶּרֶךְ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים וְלֹא הָיָה מַיִם לַמַּחֲנֶה וְלַבְּהֵמָה אֲשֶׁר בְּרַגְלֵיהֶם. (י) וַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲהָהּ כִּי קָרָא י"י לִשְׁלֹשֶׁת הַמְּלָכִים הָאֵלֶּה לָתֵת אוֹתָם בְּיַד מוֹאָב. (יא) וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹשָׁפָט הַאֵין פֹּה נָבִיא לַי"י וְנִדְרְשָׁה אֶת י"י מֵאוֹתוֹ וַיַּעַן אֶחָד מֵעַבְדֵי מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר פֹּה אֱלִישָׁע בֶּן שָׁפָט אֲשֶׁר יָצַק מַיִם עַל יְדֵי אֵלִיָּהוּ. (יב) וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹשָׁפָט יֵשׁ אוֹתוֹ דְּבַר י"י וַיֵּרְדוּ אֵלָיו מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל וִיהוֹשָׁפָט וּמֶלֶךְ אֱדוֹם. (יג) וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלִישָׁע אֶל מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל מַה לִּי וָלָךְ לֵךְ אֶל נְבִיאֵי אָבִיךָ וְאֶל נְבִיאֵי אִמֶּךָ וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אַל כִּי קָרָא י"י לִשְׁלֹשֶׁת הַמְּלָכִים הָאֵלֶּה לָתֵת אוֹתָם בְּיַד מוֹאָב. (יד) וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלִישָׁע חַי י"י צְבָאוֹת אֲשֶׁר עָמַדְתִּי לְפָנָיו כִּי לוּלֵי פְּנֵי יְהוֹשָׁפָט מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה אֲנִי נֹשֵׂא אִם אַבִּיט אֵלֶיךָ וְאִם אֶרְאֶךָּ. (טו) וְעַתָּה קְחוּ לִי מְנַגֵּן וְהָיָה כְּנַגֵּן הַמְנַגֵּן וַתְּהִי עָלָיו יַד י"י. (טז) וַיֹּאמֶר כֹּה אָמַר י"י עָשֹׂה הַנַּחַל הַזֶּה גֵּבִים גֵּבִים. (יז) כִּי כֹה אָמַר י"י לֹא תִרְאוּ רוּחַ וְלֹא תִרְאוּ גֶשֶׁם וְהַנַּחַל הַהוּא יִמָּלֵא מָיִם וּשְׁתִיתֶם אַתֶּם וּמִקְנֵיכֶם וּבְהֶמְתְּכֶם. (יח) וְנָקַל זֹאת בְּעֵינֵי י"י וְנָתַן אֶת מוֹאָב בְּיֶדְכֶם. (יט) וְהִכִּיתֶם כׇּל עִיר מִבְצָר וְכׇל עִיר מִבְחוֹר וְכׇל עֵץ טוֹב תַּפִּילוּ וְכׇל מַעְיְנֵי מַיִם תִּסְתֹּמוּ וְכֹל הַחֶלְקָה הַטּוֹבָה תַּכְאִבוּ בָּאֲבָנִים. (כ) וַיְהִי בַבֹּקֶר כַּעֲלוֹת הַמִּנְחָה וְהִנֵּה מַיִם בָּאִים מִדֶּרֶךְ אֱדוֹם וַתִּמָּלֵא הָאָרֶץ אֶת הַמָּיִם. (כא) וְכׇל מוֹאָב שָׁמְעוּ כִּי עָלוּ הַמְּלָכִים לְהִלָּחֶם בָּם וַיִּצָּעֲקוּ מִכֹּל חֹגֵר חֲגֹרָה וָמַעְלָה וַיַּעַמְדוּ עַל הַגְּבוּל. (כב) וַיַּשְׁכִּימוּ בַבֹּקֶר וְהַשֶּׁמֶשׁ זָרְחָה עַל הַמָּיִם וַיִּרְאוּ מוֹאָב מִנֶּגֶד אֶת הַמַּיִם אֲדֻמִּים כַּדָּם. (כג) וַיֹּאמְרוּ דָּם זֶה הׇחֳרֵב נֶחֶרְבוּ הַמְּלָכִים וַיַּכּוּ אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ וְעַתָּה לַשָּׁלָל מוֹאָב. (כד) וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל מַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיָּקֻמוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּכּוּ אֶת מוֹאָב וַיָּנֻסוּ מִפְּנֵיהֶם [וַיַּכּוּ] (ויבו) בָהּ וְהַכּוֹת אֶת מוֹאָב. (כה) וְהֶעָרִים יַהֲרֹסוּ וְכׇל חֶלְקָה טוֹבָה יַשְׁלִיכוּ אִישׁ אַבְנוֹ וּמִלְאוּהָ וְכׇל מַעְיַן מַיִם יִסְתֹּמוּ וְכׇל עֵץ טוֹב יַפִּילוּ עַד הִשְׁאִיר אֲבָנֶיהָ בַּקִּיר חֲרָשֶׂת וַיָּסֹבּוּ הַקַּלָּעִים וַיַּכּוּהָ. (כו) וַיַּרְא מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב כִּי חָזַק מִמֶּנּוּ הַמִּלְחָמָה וַיִּקַּח אוֹתוֹ שְׁבַע מֵאוֹת אִישׁ שֹׁלֵף חֶרֶב לְהַבְקִיעַ אֶל מֶלֶךְ אֱדוֹם וְלֹא יָכֹלוּ. (כז) וַיִּקַּח אֶת בְּנוֹ הַבְּכוֹר אֲשֶׁר יִמְלֹךְ תַּחְתָּיו וַיַּעֲלֵהוּ עֹלָה עַל הַחֹמָה וַיְהִי קֶצֶף גָּדוֹל עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּסְעוּ מֵעָלָיו וַיָּשֻׁבוּ לָאָרֶץ.

Bavli Sanhedrin 39bבבלי סנהדרין ל״ט:

“It is a people that shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations” (Numbers 23:9), teaching that where the verse mentions “the nations,” the Jewish people are not included. The Gemara cites a related statement: Rabbi Elazar raises a contradiction: It is written in one verse: “The Lord is good to all and His compassion is over all His works” (Psalms 145:9), and it is written in a different verse: “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul that seeks Him” (Lamentations 3:25). He explains: This can be compared to a person who has an orchard. When he waters it, he waters all of it. Perforce, the water reaches all parts of the orchard, and he cannot discriminate between trees. This is the meaning of the verse: “The Lord is good to all.” By contrast, when he hoes around the trees, he hoes only around the good trees among them. Similarly, when God bestows goodness to the world, all receive it. When He protects people from harm, not all are protected. § The mishna teaches: Therefore, since all humanity descends from one person, each and every person is obligated to say: The world was created for me. The mishna then teaches that the court says to the witnesses: And perhaps you will say: Why would we want to be responsible for the blood of this person? But be aware, as is it not already stated: “When the wicked perish, there is song” (Proverbs 11:10)? The Gemara teaches: A separate verse relates that after the evil king Ahab was killed: “And the song went throughout the camp” (I Kings 22:36). Rabbi Aḥa bar Ḥanina says: The fact that the verse states “the song,” and not a song, indicates that it is referring to a song mentioned elsewhere. Accordingly, the verse: “When the wicked perish, there is song,” alludes to this episode: When Ahab ben Omri perished, there was song. The Gemara asks: But is the Holy One, Blessed be He, gladdened by the downfall of the wicked? Isn’t it written in the verse describing the victory of the Jewish people in battle: “He appointed them that should sing unto the Lord, and praise in the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and say: Give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy endures forever” (II Chronicles 20:21). And Rabbi Yonatan says: For what reason is it not stated in this praise: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His mercy endures forever,” as is stated elsewhere, e.g., Psalms 118:1? This is because the Holy One, Blessed be He, is not gladdened by the downfall of the wicked. The Gemara comments: As Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman says that Rabbi Yonatan says: What is the meaning of that which is written in the passage describing the splitting of the Red Sea: “And the one came not near the other all the night” (Exodus 14:20)? At that time the ministering angels desired to recite a song before the Holy One, Blessed be He. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to them: My handiwork, i.e., the Egyptians, are drowning in the sea, and you are reciting a song before Me? Apparently, God is not gladdened by the downfall of the wicked. Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina says: He, i.e., God, does not rejoice in their downfall, but He does cause others to feel joy. The Gemara comments: Accordingly, the language of the verse is also precise, as it is written: “And it shall come to pass, that as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the Lord will cause rejoicing [yasis] over you to cause you to perish” (Deuteronomy 28:63), and it is not written: Will have joy [yasus]. The term “yasis” connotes causing joy to others, not that God will experience joy Himself. The Gemara affirms: Conclude from this inference that it is so. Apropos the death of Ahab, the Gemara cites another verse from that passage. The verse states: “And they washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood; and the harlots also washed themselves there, according to the word of the Lord that He spoke” (I Kings 22:38). Rabbi Elazar says: “The harlots [hazzonot]” can be read as visions [ḥezyonot], and the verse means: To cleanse, i.e., to fulfill, two visions, one of Micaiah and one of Elijah. This fulfills a vision of Micaiah, as it is written: “If you return at all in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me” (I Kings 22:28). Once Ahab died, Micaiah’s vision was fulfilled. This also fulfills a vision of Elijah, as it is written: “In the place where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall the dogs lick your blood, even yours” (I Kings 21:19). Rava says: The verse is speaking of actual harlots. Ahab was a frigid man, who did not lust for women. And Jezebel, his wife, fashioned two forms of harlots for him in his chariot, in order that he see them while traveling and become aroused. Accordingly, one would understand the verse as stating that the harlots were washed, not that they washed themselves. The verse describing the death of Ahab states: “And a certain man drew a bow offhandedly [letummo] and smote the king of Israel” (I Kings 22:34). Rabbi Elazar says: “Letummo” should be understood as offhandedly [lefi tummo], without aiming for Ahab. Rava says: This alludes to the fact that the killing of Ahab served to make whole [letammem] two visions, one of Micaiah and one of Elijah. § Before continuing its discussion of Ahab, the Gemara records a mnemonic for the forthcoming statements: Called; and merited; of Edom. It is written: “And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household; now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly” (I Kings 18:3). The Gemara asks: What is the verse saying? What is the connection between Obadiah’s fear of the Lord and the call of Ahab? Rabbi Yitzḥak says that Ahab said to Obadiah: It is written with regard to Jacob: “And Laban said to him: If now I have found favor in your eyes, I have observed the signs, and the Lord has blessed me for your sake” (Genesis 30:27). It is written with regard to Joseph: “The Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake” (Genesis 39:5). The house of that man, i.e., my house, was not blessed. Perhaps you do not fear God? Immediately, a Divine Voice emerged and said: “Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly,” but the house of Ahab is not fit for blessing like the houses of those masters. Rabbi Abba says: The praise that is stated with regard to Obadiah is greater than that which is stated with regard to Abraham. As with regard to Abraham the verse states: “For now I know that you fear God” (Genesis 22:12), and the term “greatly” is not written, and about Obadiah the term “greatly” is written. Rabbi Yitzḥak says: For what reason did Obadiah merit prophecy? It is because he concealed one hundred prophets in a cave, as it is stated: “It was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah took one hundred prophets, and hid them, fifty men in a cave, and fed them with bread and water” (I Kings 18:4). The Gemara asks: What is different, i.e., why did he decide, to conceal fifty men in each of two caves and not conceal them all together in one cave? Rabbi Elazar says: He learned from the behavior of Jacob to do so, as it is stated: “And he said: If Esau comes to the one camp and smites it, then the camp that is left shall escape” (Genesis 32:9). Obadiah learned from this to divide the prophets and thereby lessen the danger. Rabbi Abbahu says: It is because there is no cave big enough to contain more than fifty people. The verse states: “The vision of Obadiah. So says the Lord God concerning Edom: We have heard a message from the Lord, and an ambassador is sent among the nations: Arise, and let us rise up against her in battle” (Obadiah 1:1). The Gemara asks: What is different, i.e., what is the reason, that specifically Obadiah prophesied concerning Edom? Rabbi Yitzḥak says: The Holy One, Blessed be He, said: Let Obadiah come, who dwells among two wicked ones, Ahab and Jezebel, but did not learn from their actions; and he will prophesy concerning Esau the wicked, the progenitor of Edom, who dwelled among two righteous ones, Isaac and Rebekkah, but did not learn from their actions. Efrayim Miksha’a, a student of Rabbi Meir, said in the name of Rabbi Meir: Obadiah was an Edomite convert. Consequently, he prophesied with regard to Edom. And this is as people say: From and within the forest comes the ax to it, as the handle for the ax that chops the tree is from the forest itself. The verse states concerning King David: “And he smote Moab and measured them with the line, making them lie down on the ground and he measured two lines to put to death” (II Samuel 8:2). Rabbi Yoḥanan says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: This is as people say: From and within the forest comes the ax to it, as King David was a descendant of Ruth the Moabite. When Rav Dimi came from Eretz Yisrael he stated something similar to this: A thigh rots from within, i.e., when a piece of meat rots, the rotting begins from the inner part of it. Here too, the punishment is administered by one descended from that very nation. § The Gemara cites a verse concerning the king of Moab: “Then he took his eldest son, who should have reigned in his stead, and sacrificed him for a burnt offering upon the wall; and there was great indignation against Israel, and they departed from him and returned to their own land” (II Kings 3:27). Rav and Shmuel engage in a dispute concerning this. One says: The king sacrificed his son for the sake of Heaven, and one says: The king sacrificed his son for the sake of idol worship. The Gemara asks: Granted, according to the one who says that he sacrificed him for the sake of Heaven, this is as it is written: “And there was great indignation against Israel,” as the gentile attempted to honor God according to his understanding, while the Jewish people were straying from worshipping God, leading to God’s anger against them. But according to the one who says that he sacrificed him for the sake of idol worship, why would the verse state: “And there was…indignation”? The Gemara answers: This can be understood in accordance with the statement of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi. As Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi raises a contradiction: It is written concerning the Jewish people: “You have not walked in My statutes, neither have you kept My ordinances; nor have you done according to the statutes of the nations that are round about you” (Ezekiel 5:7), and it is also written: “You have done according to the statutes of the nations that are round about you” (Ezekiel 11:12). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi explains: You did not act like the proper ones among the nations, but you did act like the flawed ones among them. Here as well, the Jewish people learned from the king of Moab to engage in human sacrifice. The Gemara discusses the end of that verse: “And they departed from him and returned to their own land [la’aretz]” (II Kings 3:27). Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa says: At that time the enemies of the Jewish people, a euphemism for the Jewish people themselves, descended to the lowest level. He interprets “la’aretz” to mean: To the earth, teaching that the Jewish people were as low as the dust of the earth. The chapter closes with the explication of a verse stated with regard to Abishag, who attended King David before his death: “And the damsel was very fair [yafa ad me’od ]” (I Kings 1:4). Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa says: She still did not reach half the beauty of Sarah, as it is written: “Ad me’od,” which can be translated as “up to very fair,” but not including the praise of “very fair.” By contrast, it is written concerning Sarah: “She was very fair” (Genesis 12:14).

ויקח את בנו הבכור אשר ימלך תחתיו ויעלהו עולה על החומה רב ושמואל חד אמר לשם שמים וחד אמר לשם ע״ז בשלמא למאן דאמר לשם שמים היינו דכתיב {מלכים ב ג׳:כ״ז} ויהי קצף גדול על ישראל אלא למאן דאמר לשם ע״ז אמאי ויהי קצף כדר׳ יהושע בן לוי דריב״ל רמי כתיב {יחזקאל ה׳:ז׳} וכמשפטי הגוים אשר סביבותיכם לא עשיתם וכתיב {יחזקאל י״א:י״ב} וכמשפטי הגוים אשר סביבותיכם עשיתם כמתוקנין שבהם לא עשיתם כמקולקלין שבהם עשיתם

Rashi Melakhim II 3:27רש"י מלכים ב' ג׳:כ״ז

ויקח את בנו הבכור – בפסיקתא דפרשת שקלים נדרש: ששאל את עבדיו מה טיבה של אומה זו שנעשה להם נסים כאלה, אמרו לו: אביהם אברהם בן יחיד היה לו, אמר לו הקב״ה הקריבהו לפני, ורצה להקריבו להקב״ה, אמר להם: אף אני בן בכור יש לי, אלך ואקריבנו לעבודה זרה. על החמה – חסר וא״ו, שהיה עובד לחמה. ויהי קצף גדול – שנזכרו עונותיהם, שאף הם עובדין לעבודה זרה, ואינן ראויין לנס.

Rashi Sanhedrin 39bרש"י סנהדרין ל״ט:

כמתוקנים שבהם לא עשיתם – כמו עגלון מלך מואב שהיה מכבד את השם כשאמר לו אהוד דבר אלהים לי אליך המלך מיד ויקם מעל הכסא (שופטים ג). כמקולקלין שבהם – כגון מישע מלך מואב שהקריב בנו לע״ז כך היו ישראל עושין ובאותה שעה נזכר להם אותו עון שהיו רגילים גם הם בו.

R. Yosef Kara Melakhim II 3:27ר' יוסף קרא מלכים ב' ג׳:כ״ז

ויקח את בנו הבכור אשר ימלך תחתיו ויעלהו עלה – מלך אדום הניח בנו בערבון ביד מלך מואב שלא יפשע בו כיון שראה מלך מואב שעלה עליו מלך אדום לעזור את ישראל להלחם בו לקח מלך מואב את בנו של מלך אדום שעתיד למלוך תחתיו והעלהו עולה על החומה כדי שיראהו מלך אדום. ויהי קצף גדול על ישראל – מלך אדום קצף על ישראל שאיבד את בנו בשבילם.

Radak Melakhim II 3:27רד"ק מלכים ב' ג׳:כ״ז

ויקח את בנו הבכור – פי׳ אדוני אבי ז״ל כי בן מלך אדום הראוי למלוך תחתיו היה ברשות מלך מואב ומפני זה בא עם שני המלכים כי חשב להוציא בעזרתם בנו מתחת יד מלך מואב וכשחשב מלך מואב להבקיע אל מלך אדום ולא יכול לקח בקצפו את בן מלך אדום והעלהו על החומה ושרפו לעיני אביו זהו ויעלהו עולה ששרפו כמו ששורפין העולה. ויהי קצף גדול על ישראל – ממלך אדום כי חשב כי בעזרתם יוציא בנו מתחת יד מלך מואב וזהו שאמר הכתוב על שרפו את עצמות מלך אדום לשיד. ורבי אחי ר׳ משה ז״ל פי׳ כי כאשר חשב להבקיע מלך מואב אל מלך אדום אז לקח בנו באותה המלחמה חטפו מהם והעלהו על החומה ושרפו לעיני אביו ויהי קצף גדול על ישראל ממלך אדום שלא עזרהו להצילו מידם. ובדרש ויעלהו עולה שאל מלך מואב מפני מה אומה זו ראויה לנסים האלה אמרו לו אברהם אביהם העלה את בנו עולה אמר להם אף אני אעשה כן והעלה את בנו עולה וחלקו בדבר זה מהם אמרו לשם שמים העלה אותו וזה שאמר ויהי קצף גדול על ישראל שנתקצף הקדוש ברוך הוא עליהם כי מלך מואב לא חמל על בנו כשחשב לעשות בו רצון האל וישראל היו מקציפים אותו בכל יום והוא חשב לעשות רצון האל ואינו כמו שאמרו אשר לא צויתי זה יפתח שהעלה את בתו ולא עלתה על לבי זה מישע מלך מואב שהעלה את בנו מהם אמרו כי לע״ג העלה ומפני זה חסר וי״ו החמה כי היה עובד לחמה והעלה את בנו לחמה ומה שאמר ויהי קצף גדול שנזכרו עונותיהן של ישראל באותה שעה שגם הם היו שורפים את בניהם לע״ג ולאשרה ואמר הכתוב וכמשפטי הגוים לא עשיתם ואמרו רז״ל כמתוקנים שבהם לא עשיתם כמקולקלים שבהם עשיתם. וישבו לארץ – כל אחד מהמלכים שב לארצו, ובדרש באותה שעה ירדו ישראל למדרגה התחתונה. וישבו – כתיב חסר כלומר ישבו לארץ כמו וישבו אתו לארץ.

Malbim Melakhim II 3:26מלבי"ם מלכים ב' ג׳:כ״ו

השאלות: למה היה קצף על ישראל על שהעלה מלך מואב את בנו על החומה מה חטאו ישראל בזה? וראה מלך מואב שהיה בפנים כי לא יוכל לנצח מן החומה כי חזק המלחמה ושיכבשו החומה ולכן לקח ושלף חרב (כי מן החומה לחמו בחצים וקשת) ורצה להבקיע אל מלך אדום שמלך אדום ומחנהו עמד בצד אחד והיה חלוש נגדו ורצה להבקיע לתפוס את המלך עצמו ולא יכלו לתפשו רק תפסו בנו הבכור, ולקחהו ויעלהו וישרפהו על החומה לנקום ממלך אדום (ועל זה אמר על שלשה פשעי מואב וכו׳ על שרפו עצמות מלך אדום לסיד) ומזה נתעורר קצף ממחנה אדום על ישראל, שחרה להם שישראל לא עזרוהו בעת נבקעו מן החומה ולחמו נגדו שהניחוהו ללחום לבדו, ועל ידי כן לא נסעו מעליו כי נעשה קצף בין שלשת המלכים זה לפי הפשט, ודברי חכמינו זכרונם לברכה ידועים.