Ammon was the nation of the Ammonites, descendants of Ben-Ammi, son of Lot, born after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Their territory lay east of the Jordan River, between the Arnon and Jabbok rivers, with Rabbah as their principal city.
Throughout the Old Testament, the Ammonites appear almost always as adversaries of Israel. They worshiped the god Milcom, also called Molech, associated with cruel sacrifices.
The judge Jephthah confronted and defeated the Ammonites after attempting a peace agreement. Later, King David sent messengers of goodwill, was humiliated by King Hanun, and responded with a war that ended in the siege and fall of Rabbah.
It was during this siege that Uriah the Hittite died by David’s order, one of the darkest episodes of his reign. Centuries later, prophets such as Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, and Zephaniah announced judgment on Ammon for its hostility and pride against the people of God.
Even so, Jeremiah records a surprising promise: one day the Lord would restore the fortunes of the Ammonites. Even a people marked by enmity toward Israel remains within the reach of God’s mercy.
