2 Kings 3:27

For a burnt offering] presumably to Chemosh, the Moabite deity. Human sacrifices in ancient times prevailed amongst most Semitic nations; but the offering of a son or daughter must generally have been confined to occasions when some great offence had to be atoned for (cp. Micah 6:7) or some great calamity averted. Such sacrifices at one time were not unknown in Israel (Genesis 22; Judges 11:30.); but the higher religious consciousness of the Hebrews led them to realise much earlier than other races how alien they were to the divine character. There was great indignation] RM 'there came great wrath upon Israel.' Probably the combined forces of the invaders met with some signal disaster which was attributed to divine anger against them, stimulated by the king's sacrifice. From him] i.e. from the king of Moab. On the Moabite Stone Mesha relates his capture of various towns (Nebo, Jahaz) and the fortifications of others (Baal-Meon, Kiri-athaim, Bezer, Dibon, Medeba, Beth-dib-lathaim), which were all N. of the Arnon, and some of which are expressly enumerated in the Bible among the cities of Reuben and Gad; so not only must the Israelites have retired from Moab, but the Moabites must have made themselves masters of what had previously been Israelite territory.