Moab was the son of Lot. Both the descendants and the land were known as Moab, and the people also as Moabites. The core of Moab was the plateau east of the Dead Sea between the wadis Arnon and Zered, though for considerable periods Moab extended well to the north of the Arnon.
The Bible has preserved the names of many Moabite towns (Numbers 21:15,20; 32:3; Joshua 13:17-20; Isaiah 15-16; Jeremiah 48:20ff.).
Moses was forbidden to attack Moab despite their unfriendliness (Deuteronomy 2:28-29), although Moabites were henceforth to be excluded from Israel (Deuteronomy 23:3-6; Nehemiah 13:1).
As Israel prepared to cross the Jordan, they camped in the "plains of Moab" (Numbers 22:1; Joshua 3:1) and were seduced by Moabite and Midianite women to participate in idolatrous practices (Numbers 25; Hosea 9:10).
David subdued Moab, but towards the close of Ahab's life Moab began to break free again. Later, Judah was invaded by a confederacy of Moabites, Ammonites, and Edomites, but confusion broke out and the allies attacked one another so that Judah was delivered (2 Chronicles 20:1-30).
In the prophets the Moabites are often mentioned and divine judgment pronounced on them (see Isaiah 15-16; 25:10; Jeremiah 9:26; 25:21; 27:3; Ezekiel 25:8-11). [Tyndale House, The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Vol. 2, pp. 1014-1016]
2 Nephi 21:14 Moab ([Illustration]): Moab and possible sites of the "city of Moab." [Tyndale House, The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Vol. 2, p. 1014]
“Edom”
The term Edom denotes either the name of Esau, given in memory of the red pottage for which he exchanged his birthright (Genesis 25:30; 36:1,8,19), or the Edomites collectively (Numbers 20:18,20-21; Malachi 1:4), or the land occupied by Esau's descendants, formerly the land of Seir (Genesis 32:3; 36:20-21,30: Numbers 24:18). It stretched from the Wadi Zered to the Gulf of Aqabah for about 160 kilometers and extended to both sides of the Arabah or wilderness of Edom (2 Kings 3:8,20), the great depression connecting the Dead Sea to the Red Sea (Genesis 14:6; Deuteronomy 2:1,12; Joshua 15:1; Judges 11:17-18; 1 Kings 9:26, etc.). It was a rugged, mountainous area, with peaks rising to 1,067 meters. While not a fertile land, there are good cultivable areas (Numbers 20:17,19). In Bible times the king's highway, which ran from the Gulf of Aqabah to Damascus in Syria, east of the Dead Sea and Jordan valley, passed along the east plateau of Edom (Numbers 20:14-18). The capital of Edom, Sela, lay on a small plateau behind Petra. Other important towns were Bozrah and Teman.
At the time of the Exodus, Israel sought permission to travel by the king's highway, but the request was refused (Numbers 20:14-21; 21:4; Judges 11:17-18). Notwithstanding this discourtesy, Israel was forbidden to abhor his Edomite brother (Deuteronomy 23:7-8).
Joshua allotted the territory of Judah up to the borders of Edom (Joshua 15:1, 21), but did not encroach on their lands.
David conquered Edom and put garrisons throughout the land (2 Samuel 8:13-14). This conquest of Edom enabled Solomon to build a port at Ezion-geber, and to exploit the copper-mines in the region, as excavation shows (1 Kings 9:26-28).
In Jehoshaphat's time the Edomites joined the Ammonites and Moabites in a raid on Judah (2 Chronicles 20:1), but the allies fell to fighting one another (vv. 22-23). Jehoshaphat endeavored to use the port at Ezion-geber, but his ships were wrecked (1 Kings 22;48).
Under Joram (Jehoram), Edom rebelled, but, although Joram defeated them in battle, he could not reduce them to subjection (2 Kings 8:20-22; 2 Chronicles 21:8-10), and Edom had a respite of some 40 years.
Amaziah later invaded Edom, slew 10,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt, captured Sela their capital and sent 10,000 more to their death by casting them from the top of Sela (2 Kings 14:7; 2 Chronicles 25:11-12). Uzziah, his successor, restored the port at Elath (2 Kings 14:22), but under Ahaz, when Judah was being attacked by Pekah and Rezin, the Edomites invaded Judah and carried off captives (2 Chronicles 28:17). the port of Elath was lost once again. Judah never again recovered Edom. Assyrian inscriptions show that Edom became a vassal-state of Assyria after about 736 B.C. [Tyndale House, The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Vol. 1, pp. 410-411]
2 Nephi 21:14 Edom ([Illustration]): (1) The land of the Edomites between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqabah. (2) The mountains of Edom, near Petra. [Tyndale House, The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Vol. 1, p. 411]
2 Nephi 21:14 Edom ([Illustration]): The route of the ancient "King's Highway." [Tyndale House, The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Vol. 2, p. 860]
2 Nephi 21:14 Edom ([Illustration]): . The mountains of Edom, near Petra[Tyndale House, The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Vol. 2, p. 860]