The Amorites were an ancient Semitic people who played a significant role in the history of the Near East, including the biblical narrative. They are frequently mentioned in the Old Testament as inhabitants of Canaan, a region that God promised to the descendants of Abraham. The Amorites are often depicted as formidable adversaries of the Israelites, and their presence in the land of Canaan posed a significant challenge to the fulfillment of God's promises to the patriarchs.

Biblical Background

The Amorites are first mentioned in the Table of Nations in Genesis 10:16, where they are listed as descendants of Canaan, the son of Ham. They are described as one of the many Canaanite tribes that occupied the land before the arrival of the Israelites. The Amorites are often associated with the hill country, as seen in Numbers 13:29, where they are described as dwelling in the mountains.

Jacob's Acquisition

A notable reference to the Amorites in relation to Jacob is found in Genesis 48:22. As Jacob blesses his sons, he makes a specific mention of a portion of land he took from the Amorites: "And to you, as one who is above your brothers, I give the ridge of land that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow." . This passage is significant as it highlights Jacob's acquisition of land through conflict, a theme that resonates with the broader narrative of the Israelites' struggle to claim the Promised Land.

The exact nature of this acquisition is not detailed in the Genesis account, leading to various interpretations. Some scholars suggest that this reference may allude to a historical event not recorded elsewhere in Scripture, while others propose it could be a prophetic statement anticipating future conquests by Jacob's descendants.

Amorites in the Conquest of Canaan

The Amorites are prominently featured in the accounts of the Israelite conquest of Canaan under Joshua. In Joshua 10, the Amorite kings form a coalition to fight against the Israelites, leading to the famous battle where God intervenes by causing the sun to stand still (Joshua 10:12-14). This miraculous event underscores the divine support for Israel's claim to the land, despite the formidable opposition posed by the Amorites and other Canaanite tribes.

The defeat of the Amorite kings is a pivotal moment in the conquest narrative, symbolizing the beginning of the fulfillment of God's promise to give the land to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Amorites' resistance and subsequent defeat serve as a testament to the Israelites' reliance on divine intervention and guidance in their quest to inherit the land.

Cultural and Religious Context

The Amorites, like other Canaanite peoples, were known for their polytheistic religious practices, which often included idolatry and rituals that were abhorrent to the Israelites. The biblical narrative frequently emphasizes the moral and spiritual corruption of the Canaanite tribes, including the Amorites, as a justification for their displacement by the Israelites.

In Deuteronomy 20:17-18, God commands the Israelites to completely destroy the Amorites and other Canaanite nations to prevent them from leading the Israelites into idolatry: "You must completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that they cannot teach you to do all the detestable things they do for their gods, and so cause you to sin against the LORD your God." .

Legacy

The Amorites, as depicted in the Bible, represent both a physical and spiritual challenge to the Israelites. Their presence in the land of Canaan and their opposition to Israel's divinely ordained mission highlight the ongoing struggle between the forces of faithfulness to God and the temptations of idolatry and moral compromise. The narrative of Jacob taking a portion from the Amorites serves as a precursor to the larger account of Israel's conquest and settlement in the Promised Land, illustrating the complex interplay of divine promise, human agency, and historical reality.Genesis 48:22
Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Chapter xlviii
... a preposition, GK130 g). He asserts that he took this "from the hand of the Amorites
with sword ... a reference to chapter 34, for in that deed Jacob had no ...
/.../leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xlviii.htm

The Book of Jubilees
... account may be mentioned such particulars as these: Adam took five days ... Lat.), is
the Gaash of Judges 2:9. The Amorites combined against Jacob to rob ...
//christianbookshelf.org/deane/pseudepigrapha/the book of jubilees.htm

The Nations of the South-East
... The Amorites were crushed by the Israelitish forces, though ... Edomites took part in
the Israelitish conquest of ... Esau, the brother of Jacob, had already gathered ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter iii the nations of.htm

Demonstration v. --Of Wars.
... I pruned it and trimmed it, from the works of the Amorites. ... again they did not prosper
in the Kingdom, He took it away from the children of Jacob and gave ...
/.../aphrahat/aphrahat select demonstrations/demonstration v of wars.htm

Abram's Horror of Great Darkness.
... The pilgrimage of Jacob, how remarkably diversified with good and ... afterwards, when
commanded of God, he took a three ... and a war with the Amorites, before they ...
/.../lee/sermons on various important subjects/sermon v abrams horror of.htm

Manner of Covenanting.
... of Aaron on entering on the priesthood, took vows upon ... unto thy fathers, to Abraham,
to Isaac, and to Jacob. ... the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter ii manner of covenanting.htm

Canaan
... as well as a Hittite parentage, and Jacob declares that ... in Syria "in the land of
the Amorites," while at ... in pursuing David, and David himself took service as a ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter ii canaan.htm

The Israelites
... king of "the land of the Amorites," as Palestine ... Abraham took with him to the west
the traditions ... Jacob had twelve sons, and his descendants were accordingly ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter i the israelites.htm

Editor's Preface
... Jordan out of Edom and Moab, and took possession of ... his campaigns against "the land
of the Amorites." In short ... hitherto unknown Ya'aqob-hal or Jacob-el receives ...
/.../history of egypt chaldaea syria babylonia and assyria v 1/editors preface.htm

Chapter xv
... The datives "take me" (l??) and "he took him" (l?? ... with these figures, making the year
of Jacob's going down ... are referred to by the term "Amorites," the most ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xv.htm

Who were the Perizzites in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Why did God send the Israelites to Egypt for 400 years (Genesis 15:13)? | GotQuestions.org

Is it true that the sun stood still? | GotQuestions.org

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