A New Reading: Translation of the Mesha Stela

The 34 lines of the text have been numbered for convenience in the following translation by André Lemaire. Bracketed words and letters represent restorations of the text. Italicized words are uncertain. The dots between brackets indicate places where text is missing. The parenthetical word has been added for clarity but does not appear in the original text.

1. I am Mesha, son of Kemosh[ît], king of Mesha, the

2. Dibonite. My father ruled over Moab for 30 years, and I ruled

3. after my father. I made this high place for Kamosh in Qerihô, high pla[ce of the Sa]

4. vior, for he saved me from all the kings and let me enjoy the sight of all my enemies. Omri

5. (was) king of Israel, and he oppressed Moab many days, for Kamosh was angry with his

6. land. And his son succeeded him, and he too said: “I will oppress Moab.” In my days, he said so,

7. but I enjoyed his sight and that of his house. And Israel perished utterly forever. And Omri had taken possession of the land of

8. Medeba. And he dwelt in it in his days and the sum of the days of his sons: 40 years; but Kamosh

9. restored it in my days. And I built Baal-meon, and I made a reservoir in it; and I built

10. Qiryatên. And the men of Gad had dwelt in the land of Atarot from of old, and the king of Israel built

11. Atarot for himself; but I fought against the town and took it, and I slew all the people:

12. the town belonged to Kamosh and to Moab. And I brought thence the altar-hearth of his Beloved, and I dragged

13. it before Kamosh in Qirat/my town. And I settled in it the men of Sharon and the men of

14. Maharat. And Kamosh said to me: “Go! Take Nebo against Israel.” And I