The Amorites were an ancient Semitic people frequently mentioned in the Old Testament. Their territory, as described in the Bible, was extensive and varied over time, reflecting their influence and interactions with the Israelites and other neighboring peoples.

Geographical Extent

The Amorite territory is often associated with the hill country of Canaan, stretching from the southern regions near Hebron to the northern areas around Mount Hermon. In Genesis 10:16, the Amorites are listed among the descendants of Canaan, indicating their early presence in the land. The Bible frequently refers to the Amorites as inhabitants of the mountainous regions, as seen in Numbers 13:29: "The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites dwell in the hill country; and the Canaanites live by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan."

Historical Context

The Amorites are first mentioned in the context of the patriarchs. In Genesis 14:7, they are noted as being defeated by the coalition of kings led by Chedorlaomer. Later, in Genesis 15:16, God tells Abram that the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete, indicating their future judgment and the eventual inheritance of their land by Abram's descendants.

During the Exodus and the conquest of Canaan, the Amorites are depicted as formidable opponents. In Numbers 21:21-25, the Israelites request passage through the land of the Amorite king Sihon, who refuses and attacks them. The Israelites defeat Sihon and take possession of his territory, which extended from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as described in Numbers 21:24: "Israel put him to the sword and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, but only up to the border of the Ammonites, because it was fortified."

Cultural and Religious Influence

The Amorites were known for their fortified cities and advanced culture. Their influence is evident in the biblical narrative, where they are often depicted as a significant threat to the Israelites. In Deuteronomy 1:7, God commands the Israelites to go into the hill country of the Amorites, emphasizing the strategic importance of their territory: "Resume your journey and go to the hill country of the Amorites and to all the neighboring regions—the Arabah, the hill country, the foothills, the Negev, and the seacoast—to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon as far as the great river, the Euphrates."

The Amorites also played a role in the religious landscape of the region. Their worship practices and deities were often at odds with the monotheistic worship of Yahweh, leading to conflicts and warnings against idolatry. In Joshua 24:15, Joshua famously challenges the Israelites to choose whom they will serve, whether the gods of the Amorites or the Lord: "But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve—the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!"

Legacy and Significance

The Amorites' legacy is intertwined with the history of Israel and the broader narrative of the conquest of Canaan. Their territory, once a symbol of opposition and idolatry, became part of the Promised Land, fulfilling God's covenant with Abraham. The Amorites serve as a reminder of the challenges faced by the Israelites and the divine intervention that enabled their victories.Genesis 14:7
And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelled in Hazezontamar.
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Numbers 13:29
The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.
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Numbers 21:13
From there they removed, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, which is in the wilderness that comes out of the coasts of the Amorites: for Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.
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Deuteronomy 1:4,7,19
After he had slain Sihon the king of the Amorites, which dwelled in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, which dwelled at Astaroth in Edrei:
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Deuteronomy 3:8,9
And we took at that time out of the hand of the two kings of the Amorites the land that was on this side Jordan, from the river of Arnon to mount Hermon;
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Joshua 5:1
And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.
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Joshua 10:5
Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it.
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Joshua 12:2,3
Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelled in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is on the bank of the river Arnon, and from the middle of the river, and from half Gilead, even to the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon;
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Judges 1:35,36
But the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim: yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became tributaries.
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Judges 11:22
And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even to Jabbok, and from the wilderness even to Jordan.
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Joshua's Conquest.
... The territory naturally falls into three divisions: (a) Judah or Judea which ... the
Girgashites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, the Jebusites, the Amorites and the ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter viii joshuas conquest.htm

The Nations of the South-East
... To the north the territory of Ammon was bounded by the plateau of ... When the Israelitish
invasion, however, took place, the Amorites under Sihon had thrust ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter iii the nations of.htm

The Nations of the North-East
... in the later inscriptions of Assyria the place of the Amorites is taken ... of the Gulf
of Antioch, in the very heart of the Hittite territory, German excavators ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter iv the nations of.htm

Canaan
... two following dynasties (BC1600-1200)"the special seat of the Amorites was the ... invasion,
the Amorite king Sihon had robbed Moab of its territory and founded ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter ii canaan.htm

Five Kings in a Cave
... the Israelites should think that they came from a near by territory and therefore ...
The Amorites were against the children of Israel and they were a great company ...
//christianbookshelf.org/chapman/and judas iscariot/five kings in a cave.htm

Introduction
... on the thoughts and religion of mankind, and the narrow strip of territory they
inhabited ... The highlands of Canaan had been peopled by the Amorites, a tall fair ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/introduction.htm

Chapter xiv
... Since it lay in Ammonite territory, it could well have been Rabba of the Ammonites
(cf ... and smote all the field of the Amalekites and also the Amorites that were ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xiv.htm

The Blessings of Noah Upon Shem and Japheth. (Gen. Ix. 18-27. )
... generation they shall come hither again, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not ...
in the tents of Shem, that Japheth passes over into the territory of Jehovah ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the blessings of noah upon.htm

Chapter xlviii
... did Gen.14 "and as a result in driving off the Amorites he may have ... under Joshua
when the Ephraimites did take Shechem and the surrounding territory from the ...
/.../leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xlviii.htm

Chapter x
... families (tribes) of the Canaanites scattered abroad, so that the territory of the ...
of the Conquest that oftentimes all Canaanites are simply called Amorites (cf ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter x.htm

Who were the Moabites? | GotQuestions.org

What is the Book of the Wars of the Lord? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Og king of Bashan? | GotQuestions.org

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