Who were the Amorites in the Bible?

What does the Bible say about the Amorites?

The Amorites were one of the Canaanite peoples who inhabited the land promised to the Israelites. They are first mentioned in the Table of Nations as descendants of Canaan, the son of Ham. The Amorites lived in the hill country and were known for their military prowess. During the time of Abraham, the Amorites were one of the groups living in Canaan. God promised Abraham that his descendants would inherit the land when the iniquity of the Amorites reached its full measure. When the Israelites left Egypt and approached the Promised Land, the Amorites were among the peoples they were told to dispossess. The Amorite kings Sihon and Og, who ruled over the territories east of the Jordan River, were defeated by the Israelites under Moses' leadership. After the conquest of Canaan under Joshua, the Amorites were among the groups that the Israelites failed to completely drive out. They remained a significant presence in the land, often oppressing the Israelites during the time of the judges. The Amorites are mentioned throughout the historical books of the Old Testament as one of the primary enemies of Israel. Their presence in the land was a result of the Israelites' disobedience to God's command to completely remove them. The prophets Ezekiel and Amos also refer to the Amorites, using them as an example of the wickedness that Israel had adopted. The complete destruction of the Amorites was a sign of God's judgment against their sinful practices.

Where does Amorites appear in the Bible?

Amorites is referenced in 69 verses across 15 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.

• 1 Chronicles 1:14
• 1 Kings 9:20
• 1 Kings 21:26
• 1 Samuel 7:14
• 2 Chronicles 8:7
• 2 Kings 21:11
• 2 Samuel 21:2
• Deuteronomy 1:4
• Deuteronomy 1:7
• Deuteronomy 1:19
• Deuteronomy 1:20
• Deuteronomy 1:27
• Deuteronomy 1:44
• Deuteronomy 3:2
• Deuteronomy 3:8
• Deuteronomy 3:9
• Deuteronomy 4:46
• Deuteronomy 7:1
• Deuteronomy 20:17
• Deuteronomy 31:4
• Exodus 3:8
• Exodus 3:17
• Exodus 13:5
• Exodus 23:23

What else appears in these passages?

These turn up in the same passages as Amorites.