The Amorites: One of the Seven Nations of Canaan
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The Amorites were one of the seven nations inhabiting the land of Canaan during the time of the Israelite conquest under Joshua. They are frequently mentioned in the Old Testament as a significant and formidable people. The Amorites are often depicted as a powerful and influential group, both in terms of military prowess and cultural impact.

Biblical References and Historical Context

The Amorites are first mentioned in Genesis 10:16 as descendants of Canaan, the son of Ham. They are listed among the various Canaanite tribes that occupied the land promised to Abraham and his descendants. 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 were already established in the region and that their moral decline would eventually lead to their judgment.

The Amorites are frequently mentioned in the context of the Israelite conquest of Canaan. In Numbers 21:21-25, the Israelites, under Moses' leadership, request passage through the land of the Amorite king Sihon. When Sihon refuses and attacks, the Israelites defeat him and take possession of his territory. This victory is significant as it marks the beginning of Israel's conquest of the Transjordan region.

In Deuteronomy 7:1, the Amorites are listed among the seven nations that the Israelites are commanded to utterly destroy upon entering the Promised Land: "When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess, and He drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—seven nations larger and stronger than you" . This command underscores the Amorites' role as one of the primary adversaries of Israel.

Cultural and Religious Practices

The Amorites, like other Canaanite nations, were known for their idolatrous practices and moral corruption. Their worship included various deities, with Baal being one of the most prominent. The Amorites' religious practices were characterized by rituals that were abhorrent to the Israelites, including child sacrifice and temple prostitution. These practices are condemned throughout the Old Testament and are cited as reasons for God's judgment upon them.

Military and Political Influence

The Amorites were known for their military strength and strategic locations. They occupied key territories in the hill country, which made them formidable opponents. In Joshua 10, the Amorite kings form a coalition to attack Gibeon, a city that had made peace with Israel. Joshua's subsequent victory over this coalition, aided by miraculous events such as the sun standing still, is a testament to the Amorites' significant military threat.

Legacy and Impact

The Amorites' influence extended beyond their military encounters with Israel. They played a crucial role in the cultural and political landscape of ancient Canaan. Despite their eventual defeat and assimilation, the Amorites left a lasting impact on the region's history. Their interactions with the Israelites serve as a backdrop for many of the theological and moral lessons found in the Old Testament.

In summary, the Amorites were a prominent and influential people in the biblical narrative. Their interactions with the Israelites highlight themes of divine judgment, the consequences of idolatry, and the fulfillment of God's promises to His people.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Genesis 15:21
And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Exodus 3:8,17
And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good land and a large, to a land flowing with milk and honey; to the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Book 5 Footnotes
... Containing The Interval Of Twenty-Two Years. From Fadus The Procurator To Florus.
BOOK 5 FOOTNOTES. [1] The Amorites were one of the seven nations of Canaan. ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 5 footnotes.htm

Joshua's Conquest.
... were many war-like people crowded into Palestine, seven, the Hittites ... been there
about six centuries, and the Amorites, who had ... They were virtually one people. ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter viii joshuas conquest.htm

Canaan
... their origin, under the general name of Amorites, the Assyrians ... One of these bands
may easily have settled on its ... as we are told, was built seven years before ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter ii canaan.htm

Book 4 Footnotes
... of the delay of the punishment of the Amorites is given ... sect.5, are but seven judges
appointed for small ... This penalty of "forty stripes save one," here mentioned ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 4 footnotes.htm

The Antiquities of the Jews
... Sihon And Og Kings Of The Amorites, And Destroyed ... And Were Then Delivered From Slavery
By One Ehud Who ... Them, And Afflicted Their Country For Seven Years, How ...
//christianbookshelf.org/josephus/the antiquities of the jews/

How Joshua, the Commander of the Hebrews, Made War with The
... work; and when they had gone round it seven times, and ... had already distributed the
land of the Amorites, which itself was so called also from one of the ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 1 how joshua the.htm

The Book of Jubilees
... odium." Ammon and Moab, the Edomites and Amorites, are exhibited ... with a procession
round the altar seven times on ... and lay them on men's shoulders." One sees in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/deane/pseudepigrapha/the book of jubilees.htm

The Assumption of Moses
... And he shall call his seven sons unto him, and thus address ... The kings of the Amorites,
when they hear that thou art departed ... Moses himself in one passage (Assumt ...
//christianbookshelf.org/deane/pseudepigrapha/the assumption of moses.htm

The Israelites
... himself king of "the land of the Amorites," as Palestine ... grandson, Ramses II., reigned
for sixty-seven years, and ... One of the cities he built has been shown by ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter i the israelites.htm

Editor's Preface
... would seem, exercised suzerainty over Babylonia for seven years), Sin ... governor of
the land of the Amorites." Even a ... One of them is a long inscription of about ...
/.../history of egypt chaldaea syria babylonia and assyria v 1/editors preface.htm

Resources
Who were the Moabites? | GotQuestions.org

What is the Book of the Wars of the Lord? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Og king of Bashan? | GotQuestions.org

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
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: Miraculous Overthrow of
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