AMMONI´TAE
AMMONI´TAE (
Ἀμμανῖται, LXX. and Joseph.), the descendants of Ben-ammi, the son of Lot by his incestuous connection with his younger daughter (
Gen. 19.38). They exterminated the Zamzunmims and occupied their country (
Deut. 2.20, 21), which lay to the north of Moab between the Arnon (
Mojeb) and the Jabbok (
Zerka), the eastern part of the district now called
Belka. [
AMORITES]. Their country was not possessed by the Israelites (
Deut. 2.19), but was conterminous with the tribe of Gad. (
Joshua, 13.25, properly explained by Reland,
Palaest. p. 105.) Their capital was Rabbath or Rabbah, afterwards called PHILADELPHIA, now
Anonán. They were constantly engaged in confederations with other Bedouin tribes against the Israelites (
Ps. 83.6--8), and were subdued by Jephthah (
Judges xi.), Saul (1
Sam. xi., 14.47),
[p. 1.124]David (2
Sam. 8.12, 10.11.1. 12.26, &c.), Jehoshaphat (2
Chron. xx.), Uzziah (ib. 26.8), and Jothan (27.5), and subsequently by Nebuchadnezzar. (
Jerem. 27.1, &c.) They renewed their opposition to the Jews after the captivity (
Nehem. 4.3, 7, 8), and were again conquered by Judas Maccabaeus. (1
Macc. 5.6, &c.) Justin Martyr speaks of a great multitude of Ammonites existing in his day (
Dial. p. 272); but Origen shortly after speaks of the name as being merged in the common appellation of
Arabs, under which the Idumaeans and the Moabites were comprehended together with the Ishmaelites and Joctanites. (Orig.
in Jobum, lib. i.)
[
G.W]
