The Ammonites were a Semitic people closely related to the Israelites, descending from Ben-Ammi, the son of Lot through his younger daughter (Genesis 19:38). Their territory, often referred to as the "country of the Ammonites," was located east of the Jordan River, in what is now modern-day Jordan. The capital city of the Ammonites was Rabbah, also known as Rabbath-Ammon, which corresponds to present-day Amman.

Geography and Fortifications

The land of the Ammonites was characterized by its rugged terrain and strategic location. It was bordered by the Arnon River to the south and the Jabbok River to the north, providing natural defenses. The Ammonites were known for their well-fortified cities, with Rabbah being a significant stronghold. The Bible describes the strength of their fortifications in several passages, highlighting the military prowess and defensive capabilities of the Ammonite cities.

In 2 Samuel 11:1, the Bible recounts how King David sent Joab and the Israelite army to besiege Rabbah, indicating the city's importance and fortification: "In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem."

Relations with Israel

The Ammonites had a tumultuous relationship with the Israelites, often marked by conflict and hostility. They were among the nations that opposed Israel during the period of the Judges and the monarchy. In Judges 11, Jephthah, a judge of Israel, led a campaign against the Ammonites, who had oppressed Israel for eighteen years. Jephthah's victory over the Ammonites is recorded in Judges 11:33: "He struck them down from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith—twenty cities—and as far as Abel Keramim. Thus the Ammonites were subdued before the Israelites."

The Ammonites also played a role during the reign of King Saul. In 1 Samuel 11, Nahash the Ammonite besieged Jabesh Gilead, leading to Saul's first military victory as king. The Ammonites' aggression continued into the reign of King David, who ultimately subdued them and incorporated their territory into his kingdom (2 Samuel 12:26-31).

Religious Practices

The Ammonites worshiped a pantheon of gods, with Milcom (also known as Molech) being one of their chief deities. The worship of Milcom was characterized by practices that were abhorrent to the Israelites, including child sacrifice. This idolatrous worship was a source of contention between the Ammonites and the Israelites, as it was strictly forbidden by the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 18:21).

Prophetic Denunciations

The prophets of Israel frequently denounced the Ammonites for their idolatry and hostility towards Israel. The prophet Jeremiah prophesied against the Ammonites, declaring God's judgment upon them for their arrogance and aggression: "Concerning the Ammonites, this is what the LORD says: 'Has Israel no sons? Has he no heir? Why then has Milcom taken possession of Gad, and why do his people live in its cities?'" (Jeremiah 49:1).

Similarly, the prophet Ezekiel pronounced judgment on the Ammonites for their rejoicing over the fall of Jerusalem: "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 exile, therefore I will deliver you to the people of the East as a possession" (Ezekiel 25:3-4).

Legacy

The Ammonites eventually faded from the historical record, with their territory being absorbed by successive empires. However, their legacy endures in the biblical narrative as a people who frequently opposed Israel and whose fortified cities and idolatrous practices were emblematic of the challenges faced by the Israelites in maintaining their covenantal faithfulness amidst surrounding pagan cultures.Numbers 21:24
And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from Arnon to Jabbok, even to the children of Ammon: for the border of the children of Ammon was strong.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

The Nations of the South-East
... were coveted by the tribes of the desert; the well-watered valley ... the same stock
as the Zamzummim or Zuzim whose country had been seized by the Ammonites. ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter iii the nations of.htm

Jehoshaphat
... city, and every man to his own country." Verse 36 ... Ammon, and with them other beside
the Ammonites, came against ... He was well prepared to meet almost any foe; yet ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 15 jehoshaphat.htm

The Kingdom of all Israel.
... The Philistines overran the country, and chased Saul ... the centre of worship; and well
was the ... likewise made the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, and Edomites ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson vi the kingdom of.htm

Syria at the Beginning of the Egyptian Conquest
... of Ishmael and Edom, the Moabites and Ammonites, who were ... gather, in short, from
the silence as well as from ... us as a fruitful and civilized country, of which ...
/.../chapter iisyria at the beginning.htm

The Israelites
... Moabites and Midianites, Ammonites and Bedawin, even the ... Solomon was cultured and
well-educated, but his ... the Egyptian Pharaoh, invaded the country and sacked ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter i the israelites.htm

The Antiquities of the Jews
... How The War Was Waged Against The Ammonites And Happily ... The Nation Of The Cutheans
Into Their Country [In Their ... Xerxes The Son Of Darius Was Well Disposed To ...
//christianbookshelf.org/josephus/the antiquities of the jews/

The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire
... No country could present greater difficulties to the movements ... would meet the eye
was well calculated to ... of the Sargonides, were so skilfully fortified that a ...
/.../chapter iiithe medes and the.htm

On a Piece of Chalk. A Lecture to Working Men.
... the remains of stately oaks and well-grown firs ... But the whole country in which these
mighty rivers ... The chambered shells called ammonites and belemnites, which ...
/.../huxley/lay sermons addresses and reviews/ix on a piece of.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... to the first comer; the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Moabites ... were a fine race of
warlike, well-armed Beda ... successfully scoured the entire hill-country of Ephraim ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

The Assyrian Revival and the Struggle for Syria
... The characteristics of the country remained unchanged. Fortified towns abounded
on all sides, as well as large walled villages of conical huts, like those ...
/.../chapter ithe assyrian revival and.htm

Who were the Ammonites? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Jephthah? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about child sacrifice? | GotQuestions.org

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