בֶּן־עַמִּי

בֶּן־עַמִּי

Ben-Ammi, a son of Lot

Definition

Ben-Ammi is the name given to the son born to Lot and his younger daughter after their escape from Sodom (Genesis 19:38). The name means 'son of my people' or 'son of my kin,' and he is identified as the ancestor of the Ammonite people. His story is exclusively found in the Genesis narrative of Lot's family, and the name itself is a proper noun referring only to this specific individual. The birth of Ben-Ammi, like that of his brother Moab, is presented as the origin story for a neighboring nation of Israel.

Biblical Usage

The word Ben-Ammi is used only once in the Old Testament, in Genesis 19:38. It is used strictly as a proper name for the son of Lot. The context is the post-destruction narrative of Sodom and Gomorrah, where Lot's daughters, believing they are the last people on earth, contrive to have children by their father. Ben-Ammi is the result of the younger daughter's actions, and the verse explicitly states he became the father of the Ammonites.

Etymology

The name is a compound Hebrew phrase: 'Ben' (H1121, בֵּן) meaning 'son,' and 'Ammi' from 'Am' (H5971, עַם) meaning 'people' or 'kin,' with the first-person singular pronominal suffix ('i'), meaning 'my.' Thus, Ben-Ammi literally translates to 'son of my people.' This etymology is directly explained in the biblical text itself (Genesis 19:38).

Semantic Range

The name Ben-Ammi and his origin story carry theological significance regarding God's sovereignty over the origins of nations and the complex, often morally fraught, relationships between Israel and its neighbors. The Ammonites, descended from Ben-Ammi, were frequently in conflict with Israel (e.g., Judges 11, 1 Samuel 11, 2 Samuel 10), yet Deuteronomy 2:19 shows God commanded Israel not to harass them, as their land was a granted possession. Understanding this ancestral link through Lot—Abraham's nephew—highlights the theme of election and the consequences of human action within God's overarching plan. In the ancient Near Eastern context, establishing a lineage and naming ancestors was crucial for defining a people group's identity and territorial claims. The story explains the ethnic and political reality of the Ammonites from an Israelite perspective. The act of the daughters, while shocking, may reflect a desperate cultural imperative to preserve a family line. The name 'son of my people' ironically underscores the incestuous origin, born from within the closest family unit, which stands in contrast to the normative cultural practices of exogamy (marriage outside one's clan). Moab (H4124) — Ben-Ammi's brother, ancestor of the Moabites. Lot (H3876) — Their father, the nephew of Abraham. Ammon (H5983) — The nation descended from Ben-Ammi.

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