The Amorites: Kings of, Degraded and Slain
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The Amorites were a prominent group among the ancient inhabitants of Canaan, frequently mentioned in the Old Testament. They are often depicted as a formidable people, both in terms of their military prowess and their influence over the region. The Amorites are descendants of Canaan, the son of Ham, as outlined in the Table of Nations (Genesis 10:16).

Kings of the Amorites

The Amorites were ruled by several kings, notable among them being Sihon and Og. Sihon, the king of Heshbon, is a significant figure in the biblical narrative. The Israelites, during their journey to the Promised Land, requested passage through his territory, which he denied. This led to a confrontation in which the Israelites, under Moses' leadership, defeated Sihon and took possession of his land. The account is recorded in Numbers 21:21-24 : "Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, 'Let us pass through your land; we will not turn aside into any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will stay on the King's Highway until we have passed through your territory.' But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. Instead, he gathered his whole army and went out to the wilderness to confront Israel. When he came to Jahaz, he fought against Israel. But 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."

Og, the king of Bashan, was another Amorite ruler who opposed Israel. His defeat is recounted in Numbers 21:33-35 : "Then they turned and went up along the road to Bashan, and Og king of Bashan came out against them with his whole army to fight at Edrei. But the LORD said to Moses, 'Do not fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand, along with all his people and his land. Do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon.' So they struck down Og, his sons, and his whole army until no remnant was left. And they took possession of his land."

Degraded and Slain

The Amorites, despite their initial strength and influence, were ultimately degraded and slain as part of God's judgment upon the Canaanite nations. Their moral and spiritual corruption is highlighted in the biblical narrative, which often associates them with idolatry and wickedness. In Genesis 15:16 , God tells Abram, "In the fourth generation your descendants will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete." This indicates that their eventual downfall was due to their persistent sinfulness.

The conquest of the Amorite kings by the Israelites is seen as a divine act of judgment. In Joshua 10, the Amorite coalition led by Adoni-Zedek, king of Jerusalem, is defeated by Joshua. The miraculous intervention of God, who caused the sun to stand still, underscores the divine mandate behind Israel's victory. Joshua 10:12-14 states, "On the day the LORD gave the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke to the LORD in the presence of Israel: 'O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.' So the sun stood still and the moon stopped until the nation took vengeance upon its enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? So the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. There has been no day like it before or since, when the LORD listened to the voice of a man, because the LORD fought for Israel."

The Amorites' degradation and eventual destruction serve as a testament to the consequences of defying God's will and engaging in practices contrary to His commandments. Their account is a reminder of the sovereignty of God in executing judgment and fulfilling His promises to His people.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Joshua 10:24-27
And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings to Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet on the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet on the necks of them.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Eighteenth Theban Dynasty --(Continued)
... and besieged were about to come to close quarters, the Amorites let loose ... the Tel
el-Amarna correspondence treats of provincial wars between the kings of towns ...
/.../chapter ithe eighteenth theban dynastycontinued.htm

The Assyrian Revival and the Struggle for Syria
... deemed insufficient punishment, the conqueror degraded the place from ... Mahallat, Maiza,
Kaiza, the Amorites and Arvad ... he respected, and its kings, also suzerains ...
/.../chapter ithe assyrian revival and.htm

Resources
Who were the Amorites? | GotQuestions.org

What does it mean that “the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure” (Genesis 15:16)? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Sihon, king of the Amorites? | GotQuestions.org

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Subtopics

Amorites

Amorites were Giants

Amorites: Allotted to Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh

Amorites: Chiefs of

Amorites: Conquest of

Amorites: Descendants of Canaan

Amorites: Given to Descendants of Abraham

Amorites: Hornets Sent Among

Amorites: Idolatry of

Amorites: Intermarry With Jews

Amorites: Judgments Denounced Against

Amorites: Kings of

Amorites: Not Exterminated

Amorites: Struck Down by Chedorlaomer and Rescued by Abraham

Amorites: Territory of

Amorites: Wickedness of

The Amorites of Gigantic Strength and Stature

The Amorites: Acquired an Extensive Territory from Moab East of Jordan

The Amorites: Ahab Followed the Abominations of

The Amorites: Brought Into Bondage by Solomon

The Amorites: Character of Idolatrous

The Amorites: Character of Profane and Wicked

The Amorites: Defeated by Chedorlaomer

The Amorites: Deprived of Their Eastern Territory by Israel

The Amorites: Descent From, Illustrative of Man's Natural State

The Amorites: Descent of

The Amorites: Doomed to Utter Destruction

The Amorites: Forbearance of God Towards

The Amorites: Governed by Many Independent Kings

The Amorites: had Many and Strong Cities

The Amorites: had Peace With Israel in the Days of Samuel

The Amorites: Jacob Took a Portion From

The Amorites: Joined Abraham Against the Kings

The Amorites: Kings of, Degraded and Slain

The Amorites: Kings of, Great and Powerful

The Amorites: Land of, Given to Reubenites

The Amorites: Manasseh Exceeded Abominations of

The Amorites: Miraculous Overthrow of

The Amorites: One of the Seven Nations of Canaan

The Amorites: Originally Inhabited a Mountain District in the South

The Amorites: Refused a Passage to Israel

The Amorites: The Gibeonites a Tribe of, Deceived Israel Into a League

The Amorites: The Israelites Unable to Expel, But Extracted Tribute From

The Amorites: The Jews After the Captivity Condemned for Intermarrying With

The Amorites: Western Kings of, Confederated Against Israel

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The Amorites: Joined Abraham Against the Kings
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