Israel collected a lot of enemies throughout its history. The Ammonites were no exception. If we find it surprising that the Israelites fought so many people, we must remember it was a time of warring tribes—and whoever conquered effectively became global superpowers.
Although the Ammonites may have come from similar lands that Israel did, the similarities stop there. They worshipped gods who required child sacrifice for their rituals. God made it clear to the Israelites that they should keep their distance from such people.
They pop up many times in Israel’s history, from Abraham to the time of the kings and beyond. They even seem to survive into the early ADs.
Today we’ll uncover their origins, practices, and more.
Who Were the Ammonites Descended From?
They hailed from Lot’s family and in quite an unsavory way. For those who haven’t perused Genesis lately: a recap. Lot and his daughters left Sodom and Gomorrah before fire from heaven rained down.
Lot’s daughters worry that their family line will stop short since they now live in a wilderness with no available men nearby. They decide to get their father drunk and sleep with them. Each becomes pregnant, and they have sons.
One of the daughters has a son named Ben-Ammi, the first of the Ammonites.
Quite a terrible nation origin story.
Ever since Lot fathered this child, they became a regular part of Israel’s national narrative.
When the Israelites go into the Promised Land, the Ammonites are less than pleased. God still warns the Israelites not to provoke them (Deuteronomy 2).
They appear most frequently in the 1 and 2 Kings narratives. God forbids the Israelites from marrying them, and we’ll later see why.
We don’t know much about their customs, but we know they worshipped terrible gods. These gods went by the names of Molech (sometimes spelled Moloch) and Malcolm. Practices to Moloch included child sacrifice by fire.
Why Did God Warn the Israelites Not to Intermarry with the Ammonites?
From couples in the Bible like Ruth and Rahab, we learn that the Israelites did marry outside their people. And occasionally, these marriages seem to be blessings. God doesn’t say anything against Boaz or Joshua for marrying non-Israelites, or against their wives.
With that said, we should note that Ruth and Rahab both became Israelites. They gave up their past religions and decided to follow the way of Yahweh.
When God orders the Israelites not to intermarry with people such as the Ammonites, it’s not a racist move. It’s a spiritual one. He knows that in marriage, two become one. And that when you marry an unequally yoked person, they may try to sway your spiritual life. This can range from ignoring when you discuss God to telling you to give up your belief system.
God knew that who we marry plays a central role in our future spiritual journey. In a tribal society (where families become closely tied together when their children marry, either preserving or changing customs for future generations), whom the Israelites married greatly impacted whether they kept following God’s commands. So, he told the Israelites to avoid marrying into cultures that would lead them astray. The Israelites disobeyed this command, and their children suffered the consequences.
Why Did King Solomon Marry an Ammonite?
Solomon was one of these Israelites who disobeyed God’s command. Not only did he marry hundreds upon hundreds of women, but he married an Ammonite named Naamah.
When Solomon married foreign wives, they introduced him to their gods. Naamah would’ve been no different. She had introduced him to Moloch and others, and Solomon allowed detestable practices to happen in Israel.
Why would he do this? We may ask this question.
One clear reason was Solomon would have felt pressured by other nations. Other nations had kings who would marry multiple wives. As a power play, he had royal wives of several nations—to secure his political prowess.
As detailed in Ecclesiastes, Solomon later regretted his many wives. He probably saw how it spiritually corrupted Israel as a whole.
When Did the Ammonites Fight Israel?
The Ammonites fought against Israel several times, but the most prominent fight happened during Jehoiakim’s reign.
This fight occurred right before the Babylonians took over Israel.
The Ammonites allied themselves with Babylon and a few other nations, then the new allies attacked Israel. As we know, the southern Israelite kingdom got taken into captivity in Babylon (2 Kings 24). The Ammonites play a role in the Israelites’ weakening under enemy forces.
Some runner-up moments happen in a few other places in Scripture.
They fight against the Israelites during the reign of the judge Jephthah (Judges 11). Of course, so goes the cycle of the judges: an enemy would sweep into Israel’s land, Israel would cry out for help, and the judge would rescue them. This narrative is no different.
They also fight the Israelites outside of the biblical narrative. In the second century BC (the years of silence, or the intertestamental period), an Ammonite general named Timothy and his forces against the Israelites during the Maccabean revolt. He ended up losing.
What Happened to the Ammonites After Israel’s Exile?
After the time of the kings, we don’t get to hear much about enemy nations—not even the Ammonites. They do seem to survive to the time of the Roman Empire. Justin the Martyr mentions that they were plentiful around the 2nd century AD. No historical records after the fact tell us what happened to them. Unfortunately, certain nations seem to fade from existence.
Still, even if we don’t know what finally happened to them, we can learn a lot from these evil people.
First, they had a rough start. No one wants to say that their nation was founded on rape and incest. The starts of nations are an important thing. We see Israel started from a promise from God to Abraham. And when Abraham got impatient, another warring nation spawned (from Ishmael’s line).
Had Lot’s daughters waited, they might have found future husbands in another land. But they jumped the gun, and Israel experienced turmoil at the hands of their impatience.
Second, they had evil practices. Most of Israel’s enemies did, but there was something particularly detestable about the child sacrifice for Molech. God values children. He teaches us about vulnerability and unconditional love through them.
No matter how we feel about our family lives—whether we choose to have kids, can’t choose, or don’t want them—we must see their value and protect them at all costs.
God seems to have a particular anger toward the practices to Molech in the Old Testament. Although he hates all idols and worshipping other gods, the narratives involving Molech seem particularly incensed. God cares for the innocent and vulnerable and hates anything seeking to destroy or hurt those people.
Finally, the Ammonites don’t last. They may have still been kicking into the Roman period—but they don’t survive after that. No nation, no matter how powerful, can stand the test of time—especially nations who choose to stand in opposition to God’s people.
The Ammonites paint a sad picture in many parts of Israel’s history. They had a sway over the people to get them to chase after foreign gods and destroy their children. Later, the Ammonites turned on the Israelite people once they found a more powerful nation to ally with.
The Ammonites are a good lesson on pursuing godly friendships and relationships and avoiding those seeking to ensnare or attack us.
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Zdenek Sasek
Hope Bolinger is an acquisitions editor at End Game Press, book editor for hire, and the author of almost 30 books. More than 1500 of her works have been featured in various publications. Check out her books at hopebolinger.com for clean books in most genres, great for adults and kids. Check out her editing profile at Reedsy.com to find out about hiring her for your next book project.
This article is part of our Bible resource for understanding the significance and meaning of biblical phrases and ideas. Here are our most popular Bible articles to grow in your knowledge of God's Word:
Promises of God in the Bible
Is "This Too Shall Pass" in the Bible?
What Was the Ark of the Covenant?
Top 10 Bible Stories for Kids
“Iron Sharpens Iron” in Proverbs 27:17
"Fearfully and Wonderfully Made" in Psalm 139
“Be Still and Know That I am God” in Psalm 46:10
"No Weapon Formed Against Me Shall Prosper" - Isaiah 54:17
