Topical Bible: Ammonites: Character of

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The Ammonites, descendants of Ben-Ammi, the son of Lot by his younger daughter (Genesis 19:38), were a people frequently mentioned in the Old Testament. Their territory was located east of the Jordan River, in what is now modern-day Jordan. The Ammonites are often depicted as adversaries of Israel, and their character is portrayed through various biblical narratives and prophecies.

Hostility Towards Israel

The Ammonites are consistently portrayed as hostile towards the Israelites. In Judges 10:7-9, the Ammonites oppressed the Israelites, joining forces with the Philistines. This oppression led the Israelites to cry out to the LORD for deliverance. The Ammonites' aggression is further highlighted in Judges 11, where Jephthah, a judge of Israel, confronts them. The Ammonites claimed the land of Gilead, which they said Israel had taken during the Exodus. Jephthah refuted their claim by recounting Israel's peaceful passage through the land and God's deliverance of the Amorites into Israel's hands (Judges 11:14-27).

Idolatry and Pagan Practices

The Ammonites were known for their idolatrous practices, particularly the worship of their god Molech. This deity was associated with child sacrifice, a practice condemned by the Israelites. In 1 Kings 11:7, Solomon, influenced by his foreign wives, built a high place for Molech on the Mount of Olives, which was a significant departure from the worship of Yahweh and led to his downfall.

Prophetic Denunciations

The prophets frequently denounced the Ammonites for their actions and attitudes. In Amos 1:13, the prophet condemns the Ammonites for their brutal treatment of the people of Gilead, stating, "For three transgressions of the Ammonites, even for four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead to enlarge their territory." This act of cruelty exemplifies their violent and expansionist tendencies.

Jeremiah also prophesied against the Ammonites, declaring that their capital, Rabbah, would become a desolate heap (Jeremiah 49:2). Ezekiel 25:2-7 further pronounces judgment on the Ammonites for their rejoicing over the destruction of the temple and the exile of the Israelites, indicating a deep-seated enmity towards God's chosen people.

Relations with Israel

Despite their hostility, there were periods of interaction between the Ammonites and Israelites. King David had a complex relationship with the Ammonites. Initially, he sought to show kindness to Hanun, the king of the Ammonites, after the death of his father Nahash, who had been friendly to David (2 Samuel 10:1-2). However, Hanun humiliated David's envoys, leading to a war in which David's forces defeated the Ammonites (2 Samuel 10:6-19).

The Ammonites also appear in the context of Solomon's reign, as one of his wives, Naamah, was an Ammonite and the mother of Rehoboam, Solomon's successor (1 Kings 14:21). This marriage, like others to foreign women, led Solomon away from exclusive worship of Yahweh.

Moral and Spiritual Lessons

The character of the Ammonites, as depicted in the Bible, serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of idolatry, cruelty, and enmity towards God's people. Their persistent opposition to Israel and their pagan practices are consistently condemned by the biblical authors, reflecting the broader theme of the struggle between the worship of Yahweh and the surrounding pagan cultures.

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Judges 10:6
And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him.
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2 Kings 23:13
And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.
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2 Chronicles 20:25
And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.
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Jeremiah 27:3,9
And send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the Ammonites, and to the king of Tyrus, and to the king of Zidon, by the hand of the messengers which come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah;
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Ezekiel 25:3,6
And say to the Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus said the Lord GOD; Because you said, Aha, against my sanctuary, when it was profaned; and against the land of Israel, when it was desolate; and against the house of Judah, when they went into captivity;
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Amos 1:13
Thus said the LORD; For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border:
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Zephaniah 2:10
This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.
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Library

The Pioneer's Influence Upon a Nation's Ideals.
... 14 and is told not of Abraham but of Isaac, whose character it fits ... in these earlier
stories stands as the traditional ancestor of the Moabites and Ammonites. ...
/.../kent/the making of a nation/study v the pioneers influence.htm

Joshua's Conquest.
... Syrians on the northeast, and on the east and southeast, the Ammonites, Moabites
and ... of their land when it should have been put upon their character where the ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter viii joshuas conquest.htm

That the Judges who Succeeded Gideon Made War with the Adjoining ...
... other respects also, but particularly in his children, who were of a good character. ...
So the Ammonites and Philistines had them in contempt, and laid waste the ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 7 that the judges.htm

The Reign of David.
... the Syrians, the Edomites and the Ammonites. ... influence of polygamy with its luxury,
pleasure seeking and jealousies was soon to undermine his character. ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter xi the reign of.htm

Pride of Prosperity
... the king overlooked the need of acquiring beauty and perfection of character. ... of
the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites." 1 Kings 2:4 ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 3 pride of prosperity.htm

The End of Self-Will
... He who rebels against God mars his own character. ... of Saul's deed in his early bright
days, when, with his hastily raised levies, he scattered the Ammonites. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the end of self-will.htm

Authenticity and Credibility of the Pentateuch.
... rest partly on misapprehension, and are partly of such a character that, when ... to
molest other nations; as, for example, the Edomites, Moabites, and Ammonites. ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter x authenticity and credibility.htm

Discouragements and Courage
... Samaritans, wild Arabs of the desert, Ammonites, and inhabitants of Ashdod in the
Philistine plain ... And how character is ennobled by even so severe a sacrifice! ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/discouragements and courage.htm

Names
... Name He fulfilled on earth, and proved it to be His character, His exact ... So, Pharaoh
means, 'The Sun-God'; the Ammonites mean, 'The people who worshipped the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/sermons for the times/sermon iv names.htm

The First Kings.
... A battle followed, and the Ammonites were routed with terrible slaughter. ... This rashness
revealed his undevout character and haughty self-will, which proved his ...
/.../headley/half hours in bible lands volume 2/the first kings.htm