Amorite — Bible person

Highlanders, or hillmen, the name given to the descendants of one of the sons of Canaan (Gen. 14:7), called Amurra or Amurri in the Assyrian and Egyptian inscriptions. On the early Babylonian monuments all Syria, including Palestine, is known as “the land of the Amorites.” The southern slopes of the mountains of Judea are called the “mount of the Amorites” (Deut. 1:7, 19, 20). They seem to have originally occupied the land stretching from the heights west of the Dead Sea (Gen. 14:7) to Hebron (13. Comp. 13:8; Deut. 3:8; 4:46-48), embracing “all Gilead and all Bashan” (Deut. 3:10), with the Jordan valley on the east of the river (4:49), the land of the “two kings of the Amorites,” Sihon and Og (Deut. 31:4; Josh. 2:10; 9:10). The five kings of the Amorites were defeated with great slaughter by Joshua (10:10). They were again defeated at the waters of Merom by Joshua, who smote them till there were none remaining (Josh. 11:8). It is mentioned as a surprising circumstance that in the days of Samuel there was peace between them and the Israelites (1 Sam. 7:14). The discrepancy supposed to exist between Deut. 1:44 and Num. 14:45 is explained by the circumstance that the terms “Amorites” and “Amalekites” are used synonymously for the “Canaanites.” In the same way we explain the fact that the “Hivites” of Gen. 34:2 are the “Amorites” of 48:22. Comp. Josh. 10:6; 11:19 with 2 Sam. 21:2; also Num. 14:45 with Deut. 1:44. The Amorites were warlike mountaineers. They are represented on the Egyptian monuments with fair skins, light hair, blue eyes, aquiline noses, and pointed beards. They are supposed to have been men of great stature; their king, Og, is described by Moses as the last “of the remnant of the giants” (Deut. 3:11). Both Sihon and Og were independent kings. Only one word of the Amorite language survives, “Shenir,” the name they gave to Mount Hermon (Deut. 3:9).

People and places

Recorded scripture occurrences (4)

References recorded in the source data; this is not an exhaustive list of mentions.

Show passage in OET: GEN 10:16

OET-RV GEN 10:16

16 Yevusi, Amori, Girgashi.

OET-LV GEN 10:16

16 And_DOM the_Yəⱱūşī and_DOM the_ʼAmorī and_DOM the_Girgāshiy.

Show passage in OET: AMO 2:9

OET-RV AMO 2:9

9 Yet I destroyed the Amorim before them.
⇔ They were as tall as of cedars
⇔ and as strong as oaks.
⇔ Yet I destroyed their fruit up high
⇔ and their roots down below.

OET-LV AMO 2:9

9 And_I I _destroyed DOM the_ʼAmorī from_their_face/front who was_like_the_height _of cedars height _of_his and_is_strong he like_oaks and_I _destroyed fruit _of_his (from)_above and_roots _of_his (from)_beneath.

Show passage in OET: AMO 2:10

OET-RV AMO 2:10

10 Also, I brought you all out of Mitsrayim (Egypt)
⇔ and led you forty years in the wilderness
⇔ so you all could possess the land of the Amorim.

OET-LV AMO 2:10

10 And_I I _brought _up you(pl) from_the _land _of Miʦrayim/(Egypt) and_I _led you(pl) in_wilderness forty year[s] to_take _possession _of DOM the _land _of the_ʼAmorī.

Jump to OET GEN 10:16 section.

Jump to OET AMO 2:9 section.

Jump to OET AMO 2:10 section.

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