The Ammonites were a Semitic people closely related to the Israelites, tracing their lineage to Ben-Ammi, the son of Lot by his younger daughter (Genesis 19:38). They inhabited the region east of the Jordan River, in what is now modern-day Jordan, with their capital at Rabbah, known today as Amman. The Ammonites are frequently mentioned in the Old Testament, often in the context of conflict with the Israelites.

Historical Background

The Ammonites, like their Moabite relatives, were descendants of Lot, Abraham's nephew. Their territory was located to the northeast of Moab and east of the Israelite tribes of Gad and Reuben. The land of the Ammonites was known for its fertile land and strategic location, which often brought them into conflict with neighboring nations, including Israel.

Governance by Hereditary Kings

The Ammonites were governed by a series of hereditary kings, a common form of governance among the ancient Near Eastern peoples. The Bible provides several references to these kings, indicating a structured and enduring monarchy.

One of the earliest mentions of an Ammonite king is Nahash, who besieged Jabesh Gilead during the reign of Saul, the first king of Israel. In 1 Samuel 11:1 , it is recorded: "About a month later, Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh Gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to him, 'Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.'"

Another significant Ammonite king was Hanun, the son of Nahash. His reign is noted for the conflict with King David of Israel. After the death of Nahash, David sent envoys to express his condolences to Hanun. However, Hanun humiliated David's men, leading to a war between Israel and Ammon (2 Samuel 10:1-5).

The Ammonites also appear in the narrative of Jephthah, a judge of Israel, who confronted the Ammonite king over territorial disputes. In Judges 11:12-13 , Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites, saying, "What do you have against me that you have come to fight against my land?" The king of the Ammonites replied, "When Israel came up out of Egypt, they took my land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, all the way to the Jordan. Now, therefore, restore it peaceably."

Religious Practices and Cultural Influence

The Ammonites, like many of their neighbors, practiced a polytheistic religion. Their chief deity was Milcom, also known as Molech, to whom they offered sacrifices, including human sacrifices, which were condemned by the Israelites. In 1 Kings 11:7 , it is noted that King Solomon, influenced by his foreign wives, built a high place for Molech, the abomination of the Ammonites.

The Ammonites' cultural and religious practices often brought them into conflict with the Israelites, who were commanded to worship Yahweh exclusively. Despite these tensions, there were periods of peace and intermarriage between the two peoples, as seen in the account of Ruth, a Moabite, and the inclusion of Ammonites in the genealogies of Israel.

Legacy and Biblical Significance

The Ammonites played a significant role in the biblical narrative, serving as both adversaries and, at times, allies of Israel. Their interactions with the Israelites highlight the complex relationships between the ancient Near Eastern peoples and the challenges faced by the Israelites in maintaining their distinct identity and faith amidst surrounding pagan cultures. The prophetic literature, including books like Jeremiah and Ezekiel, often includes oracles against Ammon, reflecting the ongoing enmity and divine judgment against them for their actions against Israel.2 Samuel 10:1
And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

The Nations of the South-East
... to the settlement of the Ammonites and Moabites ... law of evolution, however, which
governed other Semitic ... like Jerusalem to make it centralised and hereditary. ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter iii the nations of.htm

The Assyrian Revival and the Struggle for Syria
... to another; yet in practice their kings had not ... did not actually renounce his hereditary
pretensions, he ... had assassinated the Harnathite who governed them, and ...
/.../chapter ithe assyrian revival and.htm

The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
... in his Protocol after those denoting his hereditary possessions,"the ... but one kingdom
under one line of kings. ... of Semitic speech, and was governed by viceroys ...
/.../chapter ithe first chaldaean empire.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... of his father, and from thence governed the territories ... of the Midianites, Moabites,
and Ammonites"all these ... the office of this chief was hereditary in one ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

Syria at the Beginning of the Egyptian Conquest
... from the first alarm.* These tribes were governed by numerous ... connected the origin
of his race with these kings. ... and Edom, the Moabites and Ammonites, who were ...
/.../chapter iisyria at the beginning.htm

The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire
... The legendary history of the kings of Media and the first contact of the Medes with
the Assyrians: the alleged Iranian migrations of the Avesta"Media-proper ...
/.../chapter iiithe medes and the.htm

The Iranian Conquest
... Lenormant ascribed an issue of coins without inscriptions to the kings Ardys, Sadyattes ...
was entrusted to either a wealthy citizen, or an hereditary tyrant, or ...
/.../chapter ithe iranian conquest.htm

An Exposition on the First Ten Chapters of Genesis, and Part of ...
The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3. <. ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/an exposition on the first.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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