The Amorites were one of the prominent Canaanite tribes encountered by the Israelites during their conquest of the Promised Land. Their presence and practices are frequently mentioned in the Old Testament, where they are often depicted as a formidable and idolatrous people.

Historical Background

The Amorites are first mentioned in the genealogies of Genesis, where they are listed as descendants of Canaan, the son of Ham (Genesis 10:16). They occupied a significant portion of the land of Canaan, particularly in the hill country, and were known for their strong cities and military prowess. The Amorites are often associated with other Canaanite tribes, such as the Hittites, Perizzites, and Jebusites, all of whom practiced idolatry and were considered morally corrupt by the Israelites.

Idolatrous Practices

The Amorites, like other Canaanite tribes, were deeply entrenched in idolatrous worship. Their religious practices included the worship of a pantheon of deities, with Baal and Asherah being among the most prominent. These deities were often associated with fertility, weather, and war, reflecting the Amorites' dependence on agriculture and their militaristic culture.

The Bible frequently condemns the idolatrous practices of the Amorites. In Deuteronomy 20:17-18 , God commands the Israelites to "completely destroy" the Amorites and other Canaanite nations, warning that their idolatrous practices could lead the Israelites astray: "Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the LORD your God."

Moral Corruption

The idolatry of the Amorites was not limited to religious rituals but extended to their moral and social practices. The Bible portrays the Amorites as engaging in detestable acts, including child sacrifice and sexual immorality, which were integral to their worship. Leviticus 18:24-25 warns the Israelites not to defile themselves with the practices of the nations, stating, "Do not defile yourselves by any of these practices, for by all these things the nations I am driving out before you have defiled themselves. The land has become defiled, so I am punishing it for its sin, and the land will vomit out its inhabitants."

Divine Judgment

The Amorites' idolatry and moral corruption ultimately led to their downfall. God’s judgment upon the Amorites is a recurring theme in the Old Testament. In Genesis 15:16 , God tells Abraham that his descendants will return to the land of Canaan in the fourth generation, "for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete." This indicates that the Amorites' sinfulness had reached a point where divine judgment was inevitable.

The conquest of the Amorite kings Sihon and Og by the Israelites, as recorded in Numbers 21:21-35 , serves as a fulfillment of God's promise to give the land to the descendants of Abraham. The defeat of these kings is a testament to God's judgment against the idolatrous practices of the Amorites and His faithfulness to His covenant with Israel.

Legacy

The Amorites' legacy in the biblical narrative is one of idolatry and opposition to the people of God. Their practices serve as a cautionary tale for the Israelites, who are repeatedly warned against adopting the idolatrous customs of the surrounding nations. The Amorites' account underscores the biblical theme of God's holiness and the call for His people to remain separate from the corrupting influences of idolatry.Joshua 24:15
And if it seem evil to you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

National Apostasy
... in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the ... His union
by marriage with an idolatrous woman of decided character and positive ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 8 national apostasy.htm

Joshua's Conquest.
... there about six centuries, and the Amorites, who had ... should have been put upon their
character where the ... in the world to have all idolatrous symbols destroyed ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter viii joshuas conquest.htm

From Kadesh to the Death of Moses.
... was far more formidable than that of the Amorites. ... of friendship, to partake in the
idolatrous and impure ... a conception of the divine character and requirements ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter vii from kadesh to.htm

Chapter xxxiv
... the general name for the Canaanite tribes was Amorites. ... we sincerely believe the
Elohim character predominates ... as amulets and tokens of some idolatrous practices ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxxiv.htm

Book 5 Footnotes
... [1] The Amorites were one ... to the contrary; this preference of human before Divine
laws seeming to me the principal character of idolatrous or antichristian ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 5 footnotes.htm

The Puritan Innovations
... affected for a time the whole character of Liturgical ... Zuinglian principles, and
condemned as idolatrous the practice ... vestments was "relics of the Amorites." [99 ...
/.../studies in the book of common prayer/chapter ii the puritan innovations.htm

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
... Joshua's Song of Victory over the Amorites (Joshua 10:13 ... what we are told of idolatrous
practices in Judah ... a no less marked alteration in the character of His ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm

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