Bible Word of the Day
Ammon, Ammonites (Canaanite People Descendant from Lot)
Meaning
As we look at these different people groups, it’s always amazing how closely related they are to the nation of Israel. And yet they still fought against God’s chosen people Israel. The Ammonites were the descendants of Ben-Ammi. He was one of the sons of Lot’s youngest daughter. If you remember Abraham took his nephew Lot with him when he left Ur of the Chaldees in Mesopotamia and headed for what is now Palestine. And when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah Lot and his two daughters were the only ones to escape because God sent two angels to rescue the family.
The Ammonites were descendants of Lot and they were a people group who lived in the Transjordan. They were a regular recurring threat to Israel from the time of Moses up through the time of David’s reign. The Ammonites were east of the Jordan River, near the northern end of the Dead Sea. The capital of Ammon was Rabbah. Today this area is modern Jordan near the border of the West Bank. Ammon for the most part remained enemies with Israel, however, during the divided kingdom they were allies for a while with the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
“Thus both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father. The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day. And the younger, she also bore a son and called his name Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the people of Ammon to this day.” (Book of Genesis 19:36-38)
“This day you are to cross over at Ar, the boundary of Moab. ‘And when you come near the people of Ammon, do not harass them or meddle with them, for I will not give you any of the land of the people of Ammon as a possession, because I have given it to the descendants of Lot as a possession.'” (Book of Deuteronomy 2:18-19)