Ammon
עַמּוֹן · am.mon · H5983עַמּוֹנִי · am.mo.ni · H5984H2 other spellings“a people; the son of my people” Hitchcock's 1869123 mentions in 20 books, most in Judges (27)
Where it is
31.95° N, 35.92° E
Coordinates and map: OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding · CC BY 4.0 · drawn without map tiles
Mentioned most in
Counted from 123 references · STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0
About this place
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)
Article: STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0
Every mention
123 references, counted from STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0 · verse text: World English Bible (public domain)
Genesis1 mention
Deuteronomy6 mentions
Deuteronomy 2:19When you come near the border of the children of Ammon, don’t bother them, nor contend with them; for I will not give you any of the land of the children of Ammon for a possession, because…Deuteronomy 2:20(That also is considered a land of Rephaim. Rephaim lived there in the past, but the Ammonites call them Zamzummim,Deuteronomy 2:37Only to the land of the children of Ammon you didn’t come near: all the banks of the river Jabbok, and the cities of the hill country, and wherever Yahweh our God forbade us.Deuteronomy 3:11(For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the Rephaim. Behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron. Isn’t it in Rabbah of the children of Ammon? Nine cubits was its length…Deuteronomy 3:16To the Reubenites and to the Gadites I gave from Gilead even to the valley of the Arnon, the middle of the valley, and its border, even to the river Jabbok, which is the border of the…Deuteronomy 23:3An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into Yahweh’s assembly; even to the tenth generation shall no one belonging to them enter into Yahweh’s assembly forever,
Joshua4 mentions
Joshua 12:2Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the middle of the valley, and half Gilead, even to the river…Joshua 13:10and all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, to the border of the children of Ammon;Joshua 13:25Their border was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the children of Ammon, to Aroer that is near Rabbah;Joshua 15:60Kiriath Baal (also called Kiriath Jearim), and Rabbah; two cities with their villages.
Judges27 mentions
Judges 3:13He gathered the children of Ammon and Amalek to himself; and he went and struck Israel, and they possessed the city of palm trees.Judges 10:6The children of Israel again did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and served the Baals, the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the…Judges 10:7Yahweh’s anger burned against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the children of Ammon.Judges 10:9The children of Ammon passed over the Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was very distressed.Judges 10:11Yahweh said to the children of Israel, “Didn’t I save you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines?Judges 10:17Then the children of Ammon were gathered together and encamped in Gilead. The children of Israel assembled themselves together and encamped in Mizpah.Judges 10:18The people, the princes of Gilead, said to one another, “Who is the man who will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”Judges 11:4After a while, the children of Ammon made war against Israel.Judges 11:5When the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah out of the land of Tob.Judges 11:6They said to Jephthah, “Come and be our chief, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.”Judges 11:8The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “Therefore we have turned again to you now, that you may go with us and fight with the children of Ammon. You will be our head over all the…Judges 11:9Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you bring me home again to fight with the children of Ammon, and Yahweh delivers them before me, will I be your head?”Judges 11:12Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the children of Ammon, saying, “What do you have to do with me, that you have come to me to fight against my land?”Judges 11:13The king of the children of Ammon answered the messengers of Jephthah, “Because Israel took away my land when he came up out of Egypt, from the Arnon even to the Jabbok, and to the Jordan.…Judges 11:14Jephthah sent messengers again to the king of the children of Ammon;Judges 11:15and he said to him, “Jephthah says: Israel didn’t take away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon;Judges 11:27Therefore I have not sinned against you, but you do me wrong to war against me. May Yahweh the Judge be judge today between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.”Judges 11:28However, the king of the children of Ammon didn’t listen to the words of Jephthah which he sent him.Judges 11:29Then Yahweh’s Spirit came on Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he passed over to the children of Ammon.Judges 11:30Jephthah vowed a vow to Yahweh, and said, “If you will indeed deliver the children of Ammon into my hand,Judges 11:31then it shall be, that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, it shall be Yahweh’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt…Judges 11:32So Jephthah passed over to the children of Ammon to fight against them; and Yahweh delivered them into his hand.Judges 11:33He struck them from Aroer until you come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and to Abelcheramim, with a very great slaughter. So the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of…Judges 11:36She said to him, “My father, you have opened your mouth to Yahweh; do to me according to that which has proceeded out of your mouth, because Yahweh has taken vengeance for you on your…Judges 12:1The men of Ephraim were gathered together, and passed northward; and they said to Jephthah, “Why did you pass over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didn’t call us to go with…Judges 12:2Jephthah said to them, “I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, you didn’t save me out of their hand.Judges 12:3When I saw that you didn’t save me, I put my life in my hand, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and Yahweh delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me today…
1 Samuel5 mentions
1 Samuel 11:1Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh Gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.”1 Samuel 11:2Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “On this condition I will make it with you, that all your right eyes be gouged out. I will make this dishonor all Israel.”1 Samuel 11:11On the next day, Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the middle of the camp in the morning watch, and struck the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who…1 Samuel 12:12“When you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when Yahweh your God was your king.1 Samuel 14:47Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side: against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings…
2 Samuel18 mentions
2 Samuel 8:12of Syria, of Moab, of the children of Ammon, of the Philistines, of Amalek, and of the plunder of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.2 Samuel 10:1After this, the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place.2 Samuel 10:2David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent by his servants to comfort him concerning his father. David’s servants…2 Samuel 10:3But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think that David honors your father, in that he has sent comforters to you? Hasn’t David sent his servants to you…2 Samuel 10:6When the children of Ammon saw that they had become odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth Rehob and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and…2 Samuel 10:8The children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate. The Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the field.2 Samuel 10:10The rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and he put them in array against the children of Ammon.2 Samuel 10:11He said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come and help you.2 Samuel 10:14When the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered into the city. Then Joab returned from the children of Ammon and came to Jerusalem.2 Samuel 10:19When all the kings who were servants to Hadadezer saw that they were defeated before Israel, they made peace with Israel and served them. So the Syrians were afraid to help the children of…2 Samuel 11:1At the return of the year, at the time when kings go out, David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David…2 Samuel 12:9Why have you despised Yahweh’s word, to do that which is evil in his sight? You have struck Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with…2 Samuel 12:26Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.2 Samuel 12:27Joab sent messengers to David, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah. Yes, I have taken the city of waters.2 Samuel 12:29David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah, and fought against it and took it.2 Samuel 12:31He brought out the people who were in it, and put them to work under saws, under iron picks, under axes of iron, and made them go to the brick kiln; and he did so to all the cities of the…2 Samuel 17:27When David had come to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,2 Samuel 23:37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor bearers to Joab the son of Zeruiah,
1 Kings6 mentions
1 Kings 11:1Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites,1 Kings 11:5For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.1 Kings 11:7Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the mountain that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon.1 Kings 11:33because they have forsaken me, and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon. They have not walked in my…1 Kings 14:21Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Yahweh had chosen out of…1 Kings 14:31Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in David’s city. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. Abijam his son reigned in his place.
2 Kings2 mentions
2 Kings 23:13The king defiled the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mountain of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the…2 Kings 24:2Yahweh sent against him bands of the Chaldeans, bands of the Syrians, bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to…
1 Chronicles14 mentions
1 Chronicles 11:39Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite (the armor bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah),1 Chronicles 18:11King David also dedicated these to Yahweh, with the silver and the gold that he carried away from all the nations: from Edom, from Moab, from the children of Ammon, from the Philistines…1 Chronicles 19:1After this, Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his place.1 Chronicles 19:2David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. David’s servants…1 Chronicles 19:3But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, “Do you think that David honors your father, in that he has sent comforters to you? Haven’t his servants come to you to search, to…1 Chronicles 19:6When the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent one thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and horsemen out of…1 Chronicles 19:7So they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, and the king of Maacah with his people, who came and encamped near Medeba. The children of Ammon gathered themselves together…1 Chronicles 19:9The children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the gate of the city; and the kings who had come were by themselves in the field.1 Chronicles 19:11The rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and they put themselves in array against the children of Ammon.1 Chronicles 19:12He said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you are to help me; but if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you.1 Chronicles 19:15When the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.1 Chronicles 19:19When the servants of Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and served him. The Syrians would not help the children of Ammon any more.1 Chronicles 20:1At the time of the return of the year, at the time when kings go out, Joab led out the army and wasted the country of the children of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed…1 Chronicles 20:3He brought out the people who were in it, and had them cut with saws, with iron picks, and with axes. David did so to all the cities of the children of Ammon. Then David and all the people…
2 Chronicles8 mentions
2 Chronicles 12:13So King Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem and reigned; for Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which…2 Chronicles 20:1After this, the children of Moab, the children of Ammon, and with them some of the Meunites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.2 Chronicles 20:10Now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned away from them, and didn’t destroy…2 Chronicles 20:22When they began to sing and to praise, Yahweh set ambushers against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were struck.2 Chronicles 20:23For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. When they had finished the inhabitants of Seir, everyone helped to…2 Chronicles 24:26These are those who conspired against him: Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess.2 Chronicles 26:8The Ammonites gave tribute to Uzziah. His name spread abroad even to the entrance of Egypt, for he grew exceedingly strong.2 Chronicles 27:5He also fought with the king of the children of Ammon, and prevailed against them. The children of Ammon gave him the same year one hundred talents of silver, ten thousand cors of wheat…
Nehemiah6 mentions
Nehemiah 2:10When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly, because a man had come to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.Nehemiah 2:19But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite servant, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they ridiculed us and despised us, and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Will…Nehemiah 4:3Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, “What they are building, if a fox climbed up it, he would break down their stone wall.”Nehemiah 4:7But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabians, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem went forward, and that the breaches began to be filled, they…Nehemiah 13:1On that day they read in the book of Moses in the hearing of the people; and it was found written in it that an Ammonite and a Moabite should not enter into the assembly of God forever,Nehemiah 13:23In those days I also saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab;
Jeremiah11 mentions
Jeremiah 9:26Egypt, Judah, Edom, the children of Ammon, Moab, and all who have the corners of their hair cut off, who dwell in the wilderness, for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house…Jeremiah 25:21Edom, Moab, and the children of Ammon;Jeremiah 27:3Then send them to the king of Edom, to the king of Moab, to the king of the children of Ammon, to the king of Tyre, and to the king of Sidon, by the hand of the messengers who come to…Jeremiah 40:11Likewise when all the Jews who were in Moab, and among the children of Ammon, and in Edom, and who were in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah…Jeremiah 40:14and said to him, “Do you know that Baalis the king of the children of Ammon has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam didn’t believe them.Jeremiah 41:10Then Ishmael carried away captive all of the people who were left in Mizpah, even the king’s daughters, and all the people who remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard…Jeremiah 41:15But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to the children of Ammon.Jeremiah 49:1Of the children of Ammon. Yahweh says: “Has Israel no sons? Has he no heir? Why then does Malcam possess Gad, and his people dwell in its cities?Jeremiah 49:2Therefore behold, the days come,” says Yahweh, “that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and it will become a desolate heap, and her daughters…Jeremiah 49:3“Wail, Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste! Cry, you daughters of Rabbah! Clothe yourself in sackcloth. Lament, and run back and forth among the fences; for Malcam will go into captivity, his…Jeremiah 49:6“But afterward I will reverse the captivity of the children of Ammon,” says Yahweh.
Ezekiel6 mentions
Ezekiel 21:20You shall appoint a way for the sword to come to Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and to Judah in Jerusalem the fortified.Ezekiel 21:28“You, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘The Lord Yahweh says this concerning the children of Ammon, and concerning their reproach: “A sword! A sword is drawn! It is polished for the…Ezekiel 25:2“Son of man, set your face toward the children of Ammon, and prophesy against them.Ezekiel 25:3Tell the children of Ammon, ‘Hear the word of the Lord Yahweh! The Lord Yahweh says, “Because you said, ‘Aha!’ against my sanctuary when it was profaned, and against the land of Israel…Ezekiel 25:5I will make Rabbah a stable for camels and the children of Ammon a resting place for flocks. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.”Ezekiel 25:10to the children of the east, to go against the children of Ammon; and I will give them for a possession, that the children of Ammon may not be remembered among the nations.
Amos2 mentions
Amos 1:13Yahweh says: “For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, yes, for four, I will not turn away its punishment, because they have ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead, that they…Amos 1:14But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it will devour its palaces, with shouting in the day of battle, with a storm in the day of the whirlwind;
Zephaniah2 mentions
Zephaniah 2:8I have heard the reproach of Moab and the insults of the children of Ammon, with which they have reproached my people and magnified themselves against their border.Zephaniah 2:9Therefore, as I live, says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, surely Moab will be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles and salt pits, and a perpetual…
What the dictionary says
Another form of the name Ben-ammi, the son of Lot (Gen. 19:38).
Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Read the article →Sources
- STEPBible TIPNR · Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References · CC BY 4.0 · github.com/STEPBible/STEPBible-Data
- OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding · CC BY 4.0 · www.openbible.info/geo/
- Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869) · Public domain