2 Kings 3:27

Offered him. The heir apparent was offered as a pagan sacrifice, undoubtedly in an endeavor to appease the national god, Chemosh (Kemosh; see on v. 5). By this sacrifice it was hoped to secure the favor of Chemosh and his aid against the attackers. Human sacrifice was one of the abominations of the Palestinian religions.

Upon the wall. Probably in full view of the besiegers, in the hope of striking terror into their hearts. The Moabites evidently hoped, by this sacrifice, which they felt Chemosh could not resist, to play upon the superstitious fears of the attackers.

Indignation. Heb. qeṣeph. Generally, though not always, used of an act of God (see Num. 1:53; 18:5; Joshua 9:20; 22:20; 1 Chron. 27:24; 2 Chron. 19:10; 24:18; etc.), but hardly to be so understood here, for there is no mention of any specific guilt on the part of Israel. But qeṣeph and its related verb qaṣaph are also employed to indicate human anger (Gen. 40:2; Ex. 16:20; 1 Sam. 29:4; 2 Kings 5:11; Esther 1:12, 18). The exact nature of this indignation against Israel is not described, and the details of the manner in which it operated against them are not revealed. Whether the siege was raised because of increased resistance on the part of the defenders, inspired by the extreme sacrifice on the part of their king, or whether the great indignation made itself felt in some other way, we cannot know with certainty. The LXX reads metamelos, “regret.”

They departed. The besiegers relinquished their efforts to take the city, leaving it to the king and its defenders, while they returned to their own lands without having attained their full objective, and yet with the reward of a considerable victory.