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Ammon

Ammon, a nation descended from Lot, and its capital Rabbah, often in conflict with Israel.

Also known as Ammon,Ammonite · Ammonite,Ammon,Ammonitess · Rabbah · Rabbath

Ammon was an ancient nation located east of the Jordan River, in the region known as the Transjordan. The Ammonites were descendants of Ben-ammi, the son of Lot by his younger daughter (Genesis 19:38). They inhabited the area north of Moab and east of the tribe of Reuben.

Throughout history, the Ammonites were often in conflict with Israel. During the time of the judges, the Ammonites oppressed Israel (Judges 10:6-9) until Jephthah defeated them (Judges 11). Saul fought against the Ammonites and rescued Jabesh-gilead from their siege (1Sa.11.1-11). David, during his reign, also engaged in battles with the Ammonites (2Samuel 10; 12:26-31).

The Ammonite capital city was Rabbah (also known as Rabbath-Ammon), which was besieged and captured by Joab, David's commander (2Sa.12.26-29). The city later became part of the Ammonite territory again. The Ammonites were known for their worship of the god Milcom (1Ki.11.5,33; 2Ki.23.13).

The prophets often spoke against Ammon for their hostility towards Israel and predicted their downfall (Jeremiah 49:1-6; Ezk.21.28-32; 25:1-7)

Approximate location: 31.950, 35.924 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas

Bible dictionary

Ammon Easton Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897)

Another form of the name Ben-ammi, the son of Lot (Gen. 19:38). This name is also used for his posterity (Ps. 83:7).

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Ammon Smith Smith’s Bible Dictionary (1863)

(sons of renown, mountaineers), Am’monites, Children of Ammon, A people descended from Ben-ammi, the son of Lot by his younger daughter. (Genesis 19:38) comp Psal 83:7,8 The Ammonites are frequently mentioned with the Moabites (descendants of Ben-ammi’s half-brother), and sometimes under the same name. Comp. (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, (2:20) they are said to have dwelt in their place, Jabbok being their border. (Numbers 21:24; 2:37; 3:16) (i.e. 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, (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 [Molech], and they were gross idolaters.

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Ammon Hitchcock Hitchcock’s Bible Names Dictionary (1869)

a people; the son of my people

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Ammon Schaff Schaff’s Dictionary of the Bible

AM'MON, AND AMMONITES, LAND OF, etc., a mountainous country on the east side of the Salt Sea, reaching from the river Arnon to the Jabbok. Num 21:24; Deut 2:19,Gen 23:20. It lay to the north of the land of Moab; and "the land," "borders," or "cities" of the children of Ammon are noticed over 15 times in Old Testament history, and frequently with Moab. The precise extent of their country cannot be determined, as they appear to have led a wandering, predatory life similar to that of the wild Arab tribes now in that region. Gilead was the best portion of their land. Among the cities held by them, sometimes, apparently, in common with Moab, were Heshbon, Rabbah, and Minnith. The land which the king of Ammon claimed in the time of the Judges, Jud 11:13, once belonged to a "king of Moab." Num 21:26.

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Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.

Where Ammon appears

123 verses in 20 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H5983

Genesis1
Numbers1
Deuteronomy6
Joshua4
Judges27
1 Samuel5
2 Samuel18
1 Kings6
2 Kings2
1 Chronicles14
2 Chronicles8
Ezra1
Nehemiah6
Psalms1
Isaiah1
Jeremiah11
Ezekiel6
Daniel1
Amos2
Zephaniah2

Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.