Moabite stone, also known as the Mesha stele or Mesha inscription, is an ancient monument of black basalt that bears some of the earliest writing in Hebrew-Phoenician characters. It was found in 1868 by F. A. Klein, a Protestant missionary, at Dhiban, now in Jordan. The 34-line inscription tells of the deeds of Mesha, king of the Moabites, and his success in wars against Israel. For a description of part of this conflict from the point of view of the people of Israel, see II Kings 3:4-27.
Scholars believe that one line of the inscription probably refers to King Ahab of Israel. They think that the stone was inscribed around 853 B.C., within years of Ahab’s death. The stone is also known for what may be the earliest reference to the God of Israel outside of the Bible. The inscription also refers to King David.
French officials in Constantinople wanted to buy the stone. But local people broke the monument into many parts, hoping to get more money by selling the pieces separately. Fortunately, a French official in Constantinople made a papier-mâché impression of the stone before it was broken. The restored stone is now in the Louvre, in Paris.
