Ammon @ another form of the name Ben-ammi, the son of Lot Genesis:19:38). This name is also used for his posterity Psalms:83:7).
Ammonite @ the usual name of the descendants of Ammon, the son of Lot Genesis:19:38). From the very beginning Deuteronomy:2:16-20) of their history till they are lost sight of Judges:5:2), this tribe is closely associated with the Moabites Judges:10:11; 2Chronicals:20:1; Zephaniah:2:8). Both of these tribes hired Balaam to curse Israel Deuteronomy:23:4). The Ammonites were probably more of a predatory tribe, moving from place to place, while the Moabites were more settled. They inhabited the country east of the Jordan and north of Moab and the Dead Sea, from which they had expelled the Zamzummims or Zuzims Deuteronomy:2:20; Genesis:14:5). They are known as the Beni-ammi Genesis:19:38), Ammi or Ammon being worshipped as their chief god. They were of Semitic origin, and closely related to the Hebrews in blood and language. They showed no kindness to the Israelites when passing through their territory, and therefore they were prohibited from "entering the congregation of the Lord to the tenth generation" Deuteronomy:23:3). They afterwards became hostile to Israel Judges:3:13). Jephthah waged war against them, and "took twenty cities with a very great slaughter" Judges:11:33). They were again signally defeated by Saul ( 1Samuel:11:11). David also defeated them and their allies the Syrians ( 2Samuel:10:6-14), and took their chief city, Rabbah, with much spoil ( 2Samuel:10:142Samuel:12:26-31). The subsequent events of their history are noted in 2Chronicals:20:252Chronicals:26:8; Jeremiah:49:1; Ezekiel:25:3Ezekiel:25:6. One of Solomon's wives was Naamah, an Ammonite. She was the mother of Rehoboam (kjvKings:14:31; 2Chronicals:12:13). The prophets predicted fearful judgments against the Ammonites because of their hostility to Israel Zephaniah:2:8; Jeremiah:49:1-6; Ezekiel:25:1-5, 10; Amos:1:13-15). The national idol worshipped by this people was Molech or Milcom, at whose altar they offered human sacrifices (kjvKings:11:5-7). The high places built for this idol by Solomon, at the instigation of his Ammonitish wives, were not destroyed till the time of Josiah ( 2Kings:23:13).
