Ammonites The
Ammonites The [1]
Am'monites, The. (children of Ammon). A people descended from Ben-ammi, the son of Lot, by his younger daughter. Genesis 19:38. Compare Psalms 83:7-8. The Ammonites are frequently mentioned with the Moabites (descendants of Ben-ammi's half-brother), and sometimes under the same name. Compare Judges 10:6; 2 Chronicles 20:1; Zephaniah 2:8 etc.
The precise position of the territory of the Ammonites is not ascertainable. In the earliest mention of them, Deuteronomy 2:20, they are said to have dwelt in their place, Jabbok being their border, Numbers 21:24; Numbers 2:37; Numbers 3:16,
(That is, Land or country is, however, but rarely ascribed to them. Their capital city was Rabbath , called also Rabbath Ammon on the Jabbok. We find everywhere traces of the fierce habits of maranders in their incursions). 1 Samuel 11:2; Amos 1:13 and a very high degree of crafty cruelty to their toes. Jeremiah 41:6-7; Judges 17:11-12.
Moab was the settled and civilized half of the nation of Lot, and Ammon formed its predatory and Bedouin section. On the west of Jordan, they never obtained a footing. The hatred in which the Ammonites were held by Israel is stated to have arisen partly from their denial of assistance, Deuteronomy 23:4, to the Israelites on their approach to Canaan.
But whatever its origin the animosity continued in force to the latest date. The tribe was governed by a king, Judges 11:12 etc.; 1 Samuel 12:12; 2 Samuel 10:1; Jeremiah 40:14 and by "princes." 2 Samuel 10:3; 1 Chronicles 19:3. The divinity of the tribe was Molech, See Molech , and they were gross idolaters.
