Bible Verses About Ammonites: Defeated by the Israelites

So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and Ammonites,

who that very year harassed and oppressed the Israelites, and did so for eighteen years to all the Israelites on the other side of the Jordan in Gilead, the land of the Amorites.

The Ammonites also crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah, Benjamin, and the house of Ephraim, and Israel was in deep distress.

Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, saying, “We have sinned against You, for we have indeed forsaken our God and served the Baals.”

The LORD replied, “When the Egyptians, Amorites, Ammonites, Philistines,

Sidonians, Amalekites, and Maonites oppressed you and you cried out to Me, did I not save you from their hands?

But you have forsaken Me and served other gods, so I will no longer save you.

Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you in your time of trouble.”

“We have sinned,” the Israelites said to the LORD. “Deal with us as You see fit; but please deliver us today!”

So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD, and He could no longer bear the misery of Israel.

Then the Ammonites were called to arms and camped in Gilead, and the Israelites assembled and camped at Mizpah.

And the rulers of Gilead said to one another, “Whoever will launch the attack against the Ammonites will be the head of all who live in Gilead.”

So Jephthah crossed over to the Ammonites to fight against them, and the LORD delivered them into his hand.

With a great blow he devastated twenty cities from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith, as far as Abel-keramim. So the Ammonites were subdued before the Israelites.

Then the men of Ephraim assembled and crossed the Jordan to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why have you crossed over to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We will burn your house down with you inside!”

But Jephthah replied, “My people and I had a serious conflict with the Ammonites, and when I called, you did not save me out of their hands.

When I saw that you would not save me, I risked my life and crossed over to the Ammonites, and the LORD delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come today to fight against me?”

Soon Nahash the Ammonite came up and laid siege to Jabesh-gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.”

But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will make a treaty with you on one condition, that I may put out everyone’s right eye and bring reproach upon all Israel.”

“Hold off for seven days,” replied the elders of Jabesh, “and let us send messengers throughout Israel. If there is no one to save us, we will surrender to you.”

When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and relayed these words in the hearing of the people, they all wept aloud.

Just then Saul was returning from the field, behind his oxen. “What troubles the people?” asked Saul. “Why are they weeping?” And they relayed to him the words of the men from Jabesh.

When Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he burned with great anger.

He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent them by messengers throughout the land of Israel, proclaiming, “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not march behind Saul and Samuel.” Then the terror of the LORD fell upon the people, and they turned out as one man.

And when Saul numbered them at Bezek, there were 300,000 Israelites and 30,000 men of Judah.