Ammon

Biblical References

Genesis 19:30–38 records that after the destruction of Sodom, the younger daughter of Lot bore a son, Ben-ammi, and identifies him as "the father of the children of Ammon." The son born to the elder daughter became the ancestor of the Moabites.

• Wilderness period: In Deuteronomy 2:19, Israel is commanded not to attack the land of Ammon, because it had been given to the descendants of Lot. Deuteronomy 23:3–4 stipulates that Ammonites and Moabites shall not enter the congregation of the LORD, "even to their tenth generation."
• Period of the judges and the monarchy: Jephthah fought against Ammon (Judges 10–11). When Nahash, king of Ammon, besieged Jabesh-gilead, Saul rescued the city (1 Samuel 11). When Hanun son of Nahash humiliated the envoys David had sent to console him, war broke out, and Israel captured the Ammonite capital, Rabbah. Uriah died during this war (2 Samuel 10–12). Solomon took Ammonite women as wives and built a high place for an Ammonite god (1 Kings 11). Naamah, the mother of his son Rehoboam, was also an Ammonite (1 Kings 14:21). In the days of Jehoshaphat, Ammon joined Moab and others in invading Judah (2 Chronicles 20).
• Postexilic period: Tobiah, who opposed the rebuilding of the walls, is called "the Ammonite" (Nehemiah 2:10). After hearing this provision of Deuteronomy read, the people separated from Israel the foreigners who had mingled among them (Nehemiah 13:1–3).
• Prophetic books: Oracles of judgment against Ammon appear in Amos 1:13–15, Jeremiah 49:1–6, Ezekiel 25:1–7, and Zephaniah 2:8–11. Jeremiah 49:6 adds a promise that God will afterward "bring again the captivity of the children of Ammon."

Background

Ammon was situated east of the Jordan River, in the region of the upper Jabbok River (Deuteronomy 3:16). Its capital, Rabbah ("Rabbath of the children of Ammon"), is widely identified with the site of Amman, the present-day capital of Jordan. The boundaries of its territory, however, are understood differently depending on the period and the scholar. The Bible calls the god of the Ammonites Milcom (1 Kings 11:5) or Molech (1 Kings 11:7); scholars disagree on whether the two names refer to the same deity. The name Ben-ammi is commonly interpreted as "son of my kin" (or "of my people").

Significance in Scripture as a Whole

In the Old Testament, Ammon is portrayed as both a kinsman and an adversary of Israel. Ammon does not appear directly in the New Testament. Some interpreters, however, point to the Ammonite ancestry of Rehoboam's mother—Rehoboam being listed in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:7)—as well as to Jeremiah's promise of restoration, and see in these God's purpose of embracing even the Gentiles.

Interpretation and Issues

• Interpretations of the account in Genesis 19 differ. Traditional interpretation reads it as historical record. Critical scholarship regards it as an Israelite narrative that disparages the origins of neighboring peoples. The text itself does not explicitly evaluate the daughters' actions.
• Regarding the prohibition in Deuteronomy 23:3, Jewish rabbinic tradition reportedly includes an interpretation that applies the provision to men only. Christian interpreters generally read the provision in light of the broader biblical movement toward the acceptance of Gentiles in Christ.
• Sermons often state that the Ammonites burned their children as offerings to Molech. The Bible, however, calls Molech the god of the Ammonites and connects child sacrifice practiced within Israel with Molech, but it does not directly describe the sacrificial practices of the Ammonites themselves.

In the Korean Church

Second Chronicles 20, in which Jehoshaphat confronts the allied forces of Ammon and Moab, is a frequently preached passage in Korean churches. The words "the battle is not yours, but God's" (2 Chronicles 20:15) and the scene in which singers were sent out before the army (2 Chronicles 20:21) are often cited in sermons emphasizing prayer and praise.