Ammon

The Ammonites were descendants of Ben-Ammi, the son of Lot by his younger daughter, as recorded in Genesis 19:38: "The younger daughter also gave birth to a son, and she named him Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the Ammonites of today." The Ammonites settled east of the Jordan River, in the region that is now part of modern-day Jordan. Their capital city was Rabbah, known today as Amman.

Throughout the Old Testament, the Ammonites are frequently depicted as adversaries of Israel. They opposed Israel during the period of the Judges, as seen in Judges 11, where Jephthah leads Israel to victory against them. The Ammonites also joined forces with other nations to fight against Israel, as in 2 Samuel 10, when they allied with the Arameans against King David. Despite their hostility, God instructed the Israelites not to harass the Ammonites or seize their land, as it was given to the descendants of Lot (Deuteronomy 2:19).

The Ammonites were known for their idolatrous practices, including the worship of the god Milcom (also known as Molech), which involved child sacrifice. This idolatry was a continual snare to Israel, as seen in 1 Kings 11:7, where Solomon built a high place for Molech.

Moab

The Moabites, like the Ammonites, were descendants of Lot, through his elder daughter, as stated in Genesis 19:37: "The older daughter gave birth to a son, and she named him Moab; he is the father of the Moabites of today." The Moabites settled in the highlands east of the Dead Sea, in what is now part of Jordan.

Moab's relationship with Israel was complex, marked by both conflict and kinship. The Moabites opposed Israel during their wilderness journey, refusing passage through their land (Judges 11:17-18). Balak, the king of Moab, famously hired Balaam to curse Israel, though God turned the intended curse into a blessing (Numbers 22-24).

Despite these hostilities, there were moments of connection between Moab and Israel. The Book of Ruth tells the account of Ruth, a Moabite woman who became the great-grandmother of King David, highlighting God's redemptive work through Moab.

Moab was also known for its idolatry, particularly the worship of Chemosh, as mentioned in 1 Kings 11:33. The Moabites were eventually subdued by King David (2 Samuel 8:2), but they regained independence after his reign.

Mount Seir

Mount Seir is a mountainous region associated with the descendants of Esau, also known as Edom. Genesis 36:8-9 states, "So Esau (that is, Edom) settled in the hill country of Seir. This is the account of Esau, the father of the Edomites, in the hill country of Seir."

The Edomites, like the Ammonites and Moabites, were related to Israel, being descendants of Esau, Jacob's brother. Despite this kinship, the Edomites often stood in opposition to Israel. They refused passage to the Israelites during their exodus from Egypt (Numbers 20:14-21), and their hostility continued throughout Israel's history.

Mount Seir is frequently mentioned in prophetic literature as a symbol of God's judgment against Edom. Obadiah 1:8-9 declares, "Will I not in that day, declares the LORD, destroy the wise men of Edom and the men of understanding from the mountains of Esau? Then your mighty men, O Teman, will be dismayed, so that everyone may be cut off from the mountains of Esau by slaughter."

Despite their enmity, the Edomites were not to be despised by Israel, as they were brothers (Deuteronomy 23:7). The history of Mount Seir and its inhabitants serves as a reminder of the complex relationships between the nations surrounding Israel and the unfolding of God's purposes through them.