from בֵּן and עַם with pronomial suffix; son of my people; Ben-Ammi, a son of Lot; Ben-ammi.
Transliteration:Ben-ʻAmmîy
Pronunciation:ben-am-mee'
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew term בֶּן־עַמִּי (Ben-ʻAmmîy), Strong's H1151, is a proper noun derived from a combination of three elements: בֵּן (ben, `{{H1121}}`), meaning "son"; עַם (ʻam, `{{H5971}}`), meaning "people" or "kinsfolk"; and the first-person singular pronominal suffix "-י" (y), meaning "my." Therefore, the literal and primary meaning of Ben-Ammi is "son of my people." This name is deeply significant, reflecting the circumstances of his birth and the perceived necessity of preserving a lineage. As a proper noun, its semantic range is fixed to the individual and the nation descended from him, yet the etymological meaning carries profound implications for understanding his origin and the identity of the Ammonite people.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The name Ben-Ammi appears exclusively in a single verse within the Hebrew Bible: [[Genesis 19:38]]. This verse recounts the birth of Ben-Ammi as the son of Lot's younger daughter, conceived through an incestuous union in a cave following the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The full context is crucial: Lot and his two daughters, having fled the cataclysmic judgment, find themselves isolated. The daughters, believing that "there is not a man on earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth" ([[Genesis 19:31]]), conspire to preserve their father's lineage. The younger daughter's child is named Ben-Ammi, a name that explicitly articulates her rationale: he is "the son of my people," signifying a desperate and morally compromised attempt to continue their family line when all other options seemed lost. This act, though born of perceived necessity, stands in stark contrast to the divine covenant established with Abraham. Ben-Ammi is explicitly identified as the "father of the children of Ammon" ([[Genesis 19:38]]), establishing the patriarchal origin of the Ammonite nation, a people who would later become a recurring antagonist to Israel throughout their history.
### Related Words & Concepts
The etymological components of Ben-Ammi directly link to several important biblical concepts and other Strong's numbers. The root בֵּן (ben, `{{H1121}}`) is fundamental to understanding family, lineage, and descent in the Old Testament. The term עַם (ʻam, `{{H5971}}`) is central to the concept of "people" or "nation," particularly in the context of Israel as God's chosen people, but also in reference to other ethnic groups. The name Ben-Ammi is intrinsically linked to the nation of Ammon, often referred to as בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן (bney ʻAmmôn), "sons of Ammon," or simply עַמּוֹן (ʻAmmôn, `{{H5983}}`). This connection highlights the direct genealogical relationship. Furthermore, Ben-Ammi's half-brother was Moab (מוֹאָב, `{{H4124}}`), born from Lot's elder daughter, establishing a parallel origin for another adversarial nation, the Moabites. The narrative also touches upon themes of divine judgment (on Sodom), the preservation of lineage, and the moral ambiguities arising from human desperation.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of Ben-Ammi and his origins is multifaceted. Firstly, the narrative underscores the profound moral degradation that can result from a lack of faith and proper discernment, even among those who were spared divine judgment. Lot's daughters' actions, while perhaps driven by a desire for survival and continuity, represent a severe breach of God's moral law. The name "son of my people" paradoxically highlights both a desperate clinging to identity and a profound isolation from the broader moral framework. Secondly, Ben-Ammi's birth serves as the foundational narrative for the Ammonite nation, explaining their perpetual enmity with Israel. From their inception, the Ammonites are presented as a people whose very existence stems from a morally compromised act outside the covenantal lineage of Abraham. This origin story provides a theological lens through which to understand the frequent conflicts between Israel and Ammon, portraying the latter as an "other" whose very name signifies a self-contained, rather than divinely-ordained, lineage. Finally, while born of sin, the existence of the Ammonites (and Moabites) demonstrates God's sovereign allowance for nations to arise outside the direct line of promise, nations that would nonetheless play a role in Israel's history, often as instruments of divine discipline or as tests of faithfulness.
### Summary
Ben-Ammi (H1151), meaning "son of my people," is the proper name of Lot's younger son, born of an incestuous union with his daughter after the destruction of Sodom. This name, found exclusively in [[Genesis 19:38]], explicitly articulates the daughter's desperate attempt to preserve her family's lineage. Ben-Ammi is identified as the progenitor of the Ammonite nation (`{{H5983}}`), a people who would consistently oppose Israel throughout biblical history. The study of Ben-Ammi highlights the consequences of human sin and moral compromise, the origins of a significant adversarial nation, and the complex interplay of human choices within God's overarching sovereign plan.
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