Topical Encyclopedia The Ammonites were a people descended from Ben-Ammi, the son of Lot through 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 present-day Jordan, with their capital at Rabbah (modern-day Amman).Throughout the Old Testament, the Ammonites are frequently mentioned as adversaries of Israel. Their relationship with the Israelites was marked by conflict and hostility, often exacerbated by their worship of foreign gods, particularly Milcom (also known as Molech or Moloch). Milcom was the chief deity of the Ammonites, and his worship was characterized by practices that were abhorrent to the Israelites, including child sacrifice. The worship of Milcom is explicitly condemned in the Hebrew Scriptures. In 1 Kings 11:5, it is noted that King Solomon, in his later years, turned away from the LORD and followed other gods, including Milcom: "Solomon followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites." This apostasy led to divine judgment upon Solomon and his kingdom. The Israelites were repeatedly warned against adopting the idolatrous practices of their neighbors, including the worship of Milcom. In Leviticus 18:21, the LORD commands, "You must not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD." This prohibition underscores the severity with which God viewed the worship of Milcom and similar deities. Despite these warnings, the influence of Ammonite idolatry persisted in Israel. King Ahaz of Judah, for example, engaged in such practices, as recorded in 2 Kings 16:3: "He walked in the way of the kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites." The prophets also spoke against the Ammonites and their idolatry. Jeremiah 49:1-2 proclaims judgment against them: "Concerning the Ammonites, this is what the LORD says: 'Has Israel no sons? Is he without an heir? Why then has Milcom taken possession of Gad, and why do his people live in their cities? Therefore behold, the days are coming,' declares the LORD, 'when I will sound the battle cry against Rabbah of the Ammonites; it will become a mound of ruins, and its villages will be burned with fire. Then Israel will dispossess their dispossessors,' says the LORD." The Ammonites' worship of Milcom and their enmity with Israel serve as a cautionary tale within the biblical narrative, illustrating the dangers of idolatry and the consequences of turning away from the worship of the one true God. Their account is interwoven with the broader theme of Israel's struggle to remain faithful amidst the surrounding pagan cultures. Nave's Topical Index 2 Kings 23:13And 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. Nave's Topical Index Library The Fall of Solomon Pride of Prosperity An Exposition on the First Ten Chapters of Genesis, and Part of ... Resources Who was Gedaliah in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the meaning of shibboleth in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org What is the importance of Mizpah in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Subtopics Ammonites: Confederate With Moabites and Amalekites Against Israel Ammonites: Conspire Against the Jews Ammonites: Defeated by the Israelites Ammonites: Descendants of Ben-Ammi, One of the Sons of Lot Ammonites: Excluded from the Congregation of Israel Ammonites: Israelites Forbidden to Disturb Ammonites: Jews Intermarry With Ammonites: Prophecies Concerning Ammonites: Solomon Takes Wives From The Ammonites of Rabbah Reduced to Hard Bondage The Ammonites with the Philistines Oppressed Israel for Eighteen Years The Ammonites: Aided the Chaldeans Against Judah The Ammonites: Assisted Eglon Against Israel The Ammonites: Called The: Children of Ammon The Ammonites: Called The: Children of Lot The Ammonites: Character of Cruel and Covetous The Ammonites: Character of Fond of Ornaments The Ammonites: Character of Idolatrous The Ammonites: Character of Proud and Reproachful The Ammonites: Character of Superstitious The Ammonites: Character of Vindictive The Ammonites: Chief Cities of Ai The Ammonites: Chief Cities of Rabbah The Ammonites: Confederated Against Jehoshaphat The Ammonites: Country of: Belonged to the Zamzummims The Ammonites: Country of: Bordered on the Amorites The Ammonites: Country of: Half of, Given to the Gadites The Ammonites: Country of: Was Fertile The Ammonites: Country of: Well Fortified The Ammonites: Defeated by Jotham The Ammonites: Governed by Hereditary Kings The Ammonites: Hired the Syrians Against David The Ammonites: Ill-Treated David's Ambassadors The Ammonites: Jephthah Raised up to Deliver Israel From The Ammonites: Jewish Laws Respecting: No Covenant to Made With The Ammonites: Jewish Laws Respecting: Not to be Distressed The Ammonites: Jewish Laws Respecting: Perpetual Exclusion from the Congregation The Ammonites: Miraculous Defeat of The Ammonites: One of David's Mighty Men Was of The Ammonites: Predictions Respecting: Destructions for Hatred to Israel The Ammonites: Predictions Respecting: Punishment for Oppressive Cruelty The Ammonites: Predictions Respecting: Restoration The Ammonites: Predictions Respecting: Subjection to Babylon The Ammonites: Predictions Respecting: Subjection to the Jews The Ammonites: Proposed a Disgraceful Treaty to Jabesh-Gilead The Ammonites: Saul's Victories Over The Ammonites: Seized Upon the Possessions of Gad The Ammonites: Solomon Intermarried With, and Introduced Idols of Into The Ammonites: Spoil of, Consecrated to God The Ammonites: Submitted to Uzziah The Ammonites: The Jews Reprobated for Intermarrying With The Ammonites: The Royal Treasure of, Taken The Ammonites: Vexed the Jews After Captivity The Ammonites: Victories of Joab Over Related Terms |
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