Bible Verses About The Ammonites

Again the people of Isra'el did what was evil from ADONAI's perspective - they served the ba'alim, the 'ashtarot, the gods of Aram, the gods of Tzidon, the gods of Mo'av, the gods of the people of 'Amon and the gods of the P'lishtim. They abandoned ADONAI and did not serve him;

so the anger of ADONAI blazed against Isra'el, and he handed them over to the P'lishtim and the people of 'Amon.

For eighteen years, starting that year, they oppressed and persecuted all the people of Isra'el who lived beyond the Yarden, in the territory of the Emorim, in Gil'ad.

The people of 'Amon also crossed the Yarden to fight Y'hudah, Binyamin and the house of Efrayim; so that Isra'el was greatly distressed.

The people of Isra'el said to ADONAI, "We have sinned! Treat us in whatever way seems good to you, but save us today, please!"

They got rid of their foreign gods and served ADONAI, and he became troubled by Isra'el's misery.

Then the people of 'Amon gathered together and set up camp in Gil'ad, while the people of Isra'el assembled and camped at Mitzpah.

The people, the chiefs of Gil'ad, said to each other, "Whoever leads the battle against the army of 'Amon will be head over everyone living in Gil'ad."

After a while the people of 'Amon made war against Isra'el.

When the army of 'Amon attacked Isra'el, the leaders of Gil'ad went to fetch Yiftach from the territory of Tov

and said to him, "Come and be our chief, so that we can fight the army of 'Amon."

Yiftach answered the leaders of Gil'ad, "Didn't you hate me so much that you forced me out of my father's house? Why are you coming to me now, when you're in trouble?"

The leaders of Gil'ad replied, "Here is why we've come back to you now: if you lead us in war with the people of 'Amon, you will be head over everyone living in Gil'ad."

Yiftach answered them, "If you bring me back home to fight the army of 'Amon, and ADONAI defeats them for me, I will be your head."

The leaders of Gil'ad said to Yiftach, "ADONAI is witness that we promise to do what you have said."

Then Yiftach went with the leaders of Gil'ad, and the people made him head and chief over them. Yiftach repeated all these conditions at Mitzpah in the presence of ADONAI.

Yiftach sent messengers to the king of the people of 'Amon to say, "What's your problem with us? Why are you invading our territory?"

The king of 'Amon answered the messengers of Yiftach, "Because Isra'el took away my territory when they came up from Egypt. They took everything from the Arnon to the Yabok and the Yarden. Now, restore it peacefully."

Yiftach sent messengers again to the king of the people of 'Amon

with this response, "Here is what Yiftach has to say: 'Isra'el captured neither the territory of Mo'av nor the territory of the people of 'Amon.

But when Isra'el came up from Egypt, walked through the desert to the Red Sea and arrived at Kadesh,

then Isra'el sent messengers to the king of Edom, to say, "Please let us pass through your land." But the king of Edom wouldn't let them. He sent a similar message to the king of Mo'av, but neither would he, so Isra'el stayed at Kadesh.

Then they walked through the desert, around the territory of Edom and the territory of Mo'av, past the east border of the territory of Mo'av, and pitched camp on the other side of the Arnon; but they did not cross the border into Mo'av, for the Arnon was the border of Mo'av.

Isra'el sent messengers to Sichon king of the Emori and king of Heshbon with this message, "Please let us pass through your land to our own place."

But Sichon did not trust that Isra'el would only pass through his land, so he gathered all his people together, pitched camp in Yahatz and fought against Isra'el.