Ammonites
“Son of my kinsman, derived from Ben-ammi”
Summary
A people descended from Ben-ammi, son of Lot by his younger daughter, who occupied territory east of the Jordan and maintained persistently hostile relations with Israel throughout biblical history.
☩Origin and Territory
The Ammonites descended from Ben-ammi, the son Lot fathered through his younger daughter. Their territory lay east of the Jordan and north of Moab, from whom they were separated by the Arnon River. The Amorite king Sihon, and later the Israelites, confined them to the steppe lands farther east, excluding them from the western and richer portions of the district. Their chief city was Rabbah (also called Rabbath-ammon), located at modern Amman. The nation comprised both settled inhabitants in cities and nomadic elements.
☩Character and Conflicts
The Ammonites exhibited fierce habits of marauders in their incursions and displayed crafty cruelty toward their foes. While Moab represented the settled and civilized portion of Lot's descendants, Ammon formed its predatory and Bedouin section. They frequently allied with Moab and Amalek against Israel, repeatedly coming into conflict with God's people. Israel was initially forbidden to disturb them, yet the Ammonites' persistent hostility led to numerous wars, with notable defeats under Jephthah, Saul, and David.
☩Religion and Prohibition
Their chief divinity was Milcom (also called Molech), and they were devoted idolaters. The worship of Milcom was characterized by particularly abhorrent practices. Because of their denial of assistance to Israel on their approach to Canaan and their persistent hostility, Ammonites and Moabites were excluded from the congregation of Israel to the tenth generation. Solomon's Ammonite wives led him into idolatry, contributing to the division of the kingdom.
☩Later History
The Ammonites continued as a distinct people through postexilic times, sharing the fortunes of their neighbors under Persian, Egyptian, and Syrian rule. Their capital Rabbah was renamed Philadelphia after Ptolemy II Philadelphus and became a Hellenistic city. During the Maccabean period, Judas defeated the Ammonites under their tyrant Timotheus. The last mention of Ammonites as a distinct people comes from Justin Martyr around 166 A.D., who noted they were still very numerous.
Related Verses62 mentions
References
- 1.Philip Schaff and Johann Herzog (ed.), "Ammonites," in The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, vol. I (Funk and Wagnalls, 1908–1914).
- 2.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Ammonites," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).