2 Kings 3:4
“And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Mesha, a sheepmaster, sent Israel's king an enormous yearly tribute of lambs and rams with wool.
Context
Moab lay east of the Dead Sea; the tribute reflects Israel's military dominance under Ahab and now Jehoram.
What Does 2 Kings 3:4 Mean?
Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool, wealth is often measured in what multiplies without complaint. Flocks. The narrator tells us Mesha's trade and his tribute in the same breath: he was a herder of countless beasts, and those beasts became the price of peace. One hundred thousand lambs; one hundred thousand rams. The wool, unfinished, represents raw tribute, unwoven, uncrafted.
Every kingdom levies taxes on those beneath it. Every tribute paid is a wound to a king's pride. The stage is set for rebellion.
Application
Systems of power rest on the obedience of those beneath them. That obedience is never stable; it awaits only the moment when the pressure grows too great.