Ben-ammi

• Ben-ammi was Lot’s grandson from his younger daughter, so he was also a child of incest.
• He was conceived after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot’s daughters believed they were the only ones left in the world and that it was their duty to bear children.
• The origin of his name probably means, “son of my people,” or “son of my kindred.” This could also mean, “son of incest.”
• Ben-ammi was the progenitor of the Ammonites.
• The Ammonites were an ancient people that settled east of the Jordan River and the Dead Sea. Today, that territory is known as Jordan.
• Their main city was Rabbah, the site of Jordan’s capital, Amman.
• Their main gods were Milcom and Molech.
• During the time that Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt, the Ammonites refused to help them in any way.
• Deuteronomy 23 declares that no Ammonite (or Moabite, either) shall ever be admitted to the assembly of the Lord “because they did not meet you with food and water on your journey out of Egypt.”
• Later on, when the Israelites were about to settle the Promised Land, God instructed them not to claim any of the land of the Ammonites because he had given that to the descendants of Lot (see Deut. 2:19).
• Throughout most of their history, the Ammonites and Israelites were enemies.
• Saul was able to get the 12 tribes to work together in large part because the Ammonites often attacked the tribes east of the Jordan.
• Like many ancient nations, the Ammonites were ruthless when conquering others.
• Yet, at other times when Israel was the conqueror, the Ammonites were subject to them, especially during the time of David.
• But when David was fleeing from Saul, the Ammonites helped him.
• Even though the Israelites were instructed not to intermarry with the Ammonites, Solomon married an Ammonite woman. Her name was Naamah. She is the only named wife of Solomon and was the mother of his successor, Rehoboam.
• Ammon was part of the northern kingdom during the divided kingdom.
• The Ammonites were at the height of their power around the 7th century BCE.
• But as the Assyrians became more aggressive in the region, they, like many other nations, paid tribute to them. Still, the Ammonites were able to maintain their independence from Assyria.
• One of the men who opposed Nehemiah in the building of the wall was Tobiah, the Ammonite.
• Many Ammonite women were among those sent home when Ezra forced all Jewish men to divorce their foreign wives during the rebuilding of the temple.
• Mention of the Ammonites surfaces again during the Maccabean period. Their attempts to defeat Judas Maccabeus were not successful.
• The last notification about them derives from the second century CE, when it is believed that they were absorbed by Arab nations during the Roman period.
• Very few words/names have survived from the Ammonite language. It is believed that they spoke a Semitic language similar to Moabite and Hebrew.
• They had many natural resources, including sandstone and limestone.
• The northern part of the Kings Highway cut through their land and was a major source of revenue.
• They were known to be a prosperous people.

3-5 year Olds

• Ben-ammi was Lot’s grandson.
• His mother was Lot’s younger daughter.
• His name means something like, “son of my people.”
• The word also refers to the people of Ammon.
• The people lived east of the Jordan River and the Dead Sea.
• They had two main gods, Milcom and Molech.
• They fought many wars against the Israelites.
• Solomon married an Ammonite woman, Naamah.
• She was the mother of Rehoboam.
• The Ammonites were still around during the time of Jesus.
• They were a wealthy people.

6-12 Years Olds

• Ben-ammi was Lot’s grandson and the son of Lot’s younger daughter.
• He was conceived after Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed.
• His name might mean something like, “son of my people.”
• The word also refers to the people of Ammon.
• They lived east of Jordan and the Dead Sea.
• Today, that territory is known as Jordan.
• Their main gods were Milcom and Molech.
• They refused to help Moses after he led the children of Israel out of Egypt.
• But God told the Israelites not to settle on their land (see Deut. 2:19).
• Through the centuries, the Ammonites often fought with the Israelites.
• Sometimes the Ammonites won; other times the Israelites did.
• They helped David when he was running away from Saul.
• Solomon married an Ammonite woman, Naamah.
• She was the mother of his son, Rehoboam.
• Tobiah, the Ammonite, was one of the men that tried to stop Nehemiah from building the wall.
• They spoke a language similar to Hebrew.
• They were still around during the time of Jesus.
• They were a wealthy people.