The Definition of the word Amorites

Amorites

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).