The earth was re-populated through Noah's three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth. Everyone descends from this family (Genesis 9: 18-19). It was from Shem's son, Arphaxad, that the Chaldeans descended. The Land of the Chaldeans, or Ur of the Chaldeas, was located along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in southern Babylonia (Mesopotamia) which is in present day southern Iraq. Sometimes the term "Chaldeans" is also used when referring to the Babylonians in a broader scope.
Arphaxad's 5th great grandson, Terah, had three sons in the Land of the Chaldeans: Abram (later renamed Abraham), Nahor and Haran. Haran's son, Lot, was also born there, and it is through him that the Moabites and Ammonites came to be.
Arphaxad's 5th great grandson, Terah, had three sons in the Land of the Chaldeans: Abram (later renamed Abraham), Nahor and Haran. Haran's son, Lot, was also born there, and it is through him that the Moabites and Ammonites came to be.
Noah > Shem > Arphaxad > Salah > Eber > Peleg > Peu > Serug > Nahor > Terah > Haran > Lot > Moabites and Ammonites
The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
Lot left the land of the Chaldeans with his grandfather, his father already having died, and his uncle, Abram. Terah died along the route, but Lot and Abram arrived in Canaan. Eventually, the land couldn't support both families, and they parted ways, Lot settling in Sodom.
Prior to the destruction of this wicked city, two angels found Lot and spared him, as a mercy to his uncle, Abraham, who had been told what would soon happen. Lot fed and lodged these angels, who were sent to destroy the city. The Sodomites pressed Lot to release the angels to them, but he, instead, offered the men his virgin daughter in hopes this would appease them. However, they only became more aggressive. The angels pulled Lot back into the house and closed the door, then "smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness" (Genesis 19:11) so they couldn't find the door, which they sought to break through.
These angels instructed Lot to get his family out promptly so that they would be spared. Lot's sons-in-law wouldn't take him seriously, so they were left behind and the angels took only Lot, his wife, and two of the daughters out of the city. Lot appreciated the mercy shown him (Genesis 19:19). Though they were told not to look back (Genesis 19:17), Lot's wife did look back, and "became a pillar of salt" (Genesis 19:26).
The Birth of Two Nations
Lot and his daughters fled to the small city of Zoar, which was near the Dead Sea and, presumably, very near Sodom. Zoar was spared so that Lot could find refuge there. It's name means "small" and it was one of the oldest cities in the land of Canaan.
They left Zoar, out of fear, perhaps because of its nearness to the destruction, and "dwelt in the mountain" cave (Genesis 19:30) in the hill country near the Dead Sea. The destruction being so great, Lot's two daughters thought there were no men left in the world. They figured the only way they could have children, or "preserve the seed" of their father (Genesis 19:32) was to make him drunk and lie with him. The text lends to the idea that they considered their choice to be commendable or excusable, in order to accomplish the greater purpose of continuing their father's lineage rather than allowing it to die off.
Though no further information appears later in Genesis concerning Lot, centuries later it was written that God had delivered Lot, whom Peter called a "just" and "righteous man" dwelling among people whose "unlawful deeds" "vexed his righteous soul" (2 Peter 2:6-9). Two nations resulted from the incestuous unions of Lot and his daughters: the Ammonites and the Moabites. (Genesis 19:38)
These were descendants of Benammi, son of Lot and his younger daughter. Ben-ammi means "son of my people" which indicates that he was a son of a relative.
With the aid of God, the Ammonites destroyed an ancient race of giants, whom they called the Zamzummims, before He gave them their land, east of Judea (Deuteronomy 2:19-21). The region included the territory east of the Dead Sea, bordered by the Jabbock and Arnon Rivers to the north and south and the Jordan River on the west, and extending a ways into Arabia on the east. Their capital was Rabbah.
The Ammonites turned to idolatry and worshiped Molech, to whom babies were sacrificed. They became a cruel people. For example, they "ripped up the women with child of Gilead" (Amos 1:13). They were eventually conquered by Babylon and, during the Roman period, were presumably absorbed into the Arab nation.
Prior to the destruction of this wicked city, two angels found Lot and spared him, as a mercy to his uncle, Abraham, who had been told what would soon happen. Lot fed and lodged these angels, who were sent to destroy the city. The Sodomites pressed Lot to release the angels to them, but he, instead, offered the men his virgin daughter in hopes this would appease them. However, they only became more aggressive. The angels pulled Lot back into the house and closed the door, then "smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness" (Genesis 19:11) so they couldn't find the door, which they sought to break through.
These angels instructed Lot to get his family out promptly so that they would be spared. Lot's sons-in-law wouldn't take him seriously, so they were left behind and the angels took only Lot, his wife, and two of the daughters out of the city. Lot appreciated the mercy shown him (Genesis 19:19). Though they were told not to look back (Genesis 19:17), Lot's wife did look back, and "became a pillar of salt" (Genesis 19:26).
The Birth of Two Nations
Lot and his daughters fled to the small city of Zoar, which was near the Dead Sea and, presumably, very near Sodom. Zoar was spared so that Lot could find refuge there. It's name means "small" and it was one of the oldest cities in the land of Canaan.
They left Zoar, out of fear, perhaps because of its nearness to the destruction, and "dwelt in the mountain" cave (Genesis 19:30) in the hill country near the Dead Sea. The destruction being so great, Lot's two daughters thought there were no men left in the world. They figured the only way they could have children, or "preserve the seed" of their father (Genesis 19:32) was to make him drunk and lie with him. The text lends to the idea that they considered their choice to be commendable or excusable, in order to accomplish the greater purpose of continuing their father's lineage rather than allowing it to die off.
Though no further information appears later in Genesis concerning Lot, centuries later it was written that God had delivered Lot, whom Peter called a "just" and "righteous man" dwelling among people whose "unlawful deeds" "vexed his righteous soul" (2 Peter 2:6-9). Two nations resulted from the incestuous unions of Lot and his daughters: the Ammonites and the Moabites. (Genesis 19:38)
The Moabites
These were descendants of Moab, son of Lot and his older daughter. The Moabites neighbored the Ammonites, and settled in the mountainous region along the east side of the Dead Sea, in present day west-central Jordan. This land was given them by the Lord (Deuteronomy 2:8-9). Numerous archaeological findings have confirmed this location. They were later driven by the Amorites (descendants of Canaan) to an area south of the Arnon River.
It is interesting to note that, during the Exodus, the Israelites avoided passing through Moab, but skirted around through the wilderness until they were on the north side of the Arnon River. Balak, the Moabite king, was worried and sought the help of the Midianites (Numbers 22:2-4)
Moses was buried in the land of Moab, and Ruth, a convert who married Boaz, was a Moabite. King David was one of their direct descendants, thus having Moabite heritage as well as being a member of the tribe of Judah through Boaz.
The Moabites were mostly polytheists, but worshiped Chemosh as their main god. Their practices involved human sacrifice and they had their own priests, sorcerers and "prophets". Eventually, they became a tributary of Assyria, then later fell to the Babylonians and were exiled to Babylon in 582 BC because of pride and idolatry. (Jeremiah 48)
As a people group, they disappeared from existing records during the Persian period, they having assimilated into other cultures and lost their collective identity. They were promised in Jeremiah's prophesy that they would return in the last days. (Jeremiah 48:47)
The AmmonitesAs a people group, they disappeared from existing records during the Persian period, they having assimilated into other cultures and lost their collective identity. They were promised in Jeremiah's prophesy that they would return in the last days. (Jeremiah 48:47)
These were descendants of Benammi, son of Lot and his younger daughter. Ben-ammi means "son of my people" which indicates that he was a son of a relative.
With the aid of God, the Ammonites destroyed an ancient race of giants, whom they called the Zamzummims, before He gave them their land, east of Judea (Deuteronomy 2:19-21). The region included the territory east of the Dead Sea, bordered by the Jabbock and Arnon Rivers to the north and south and the Jordan River on the west, and extending a ways into Arabia on the east. Their capital was Rabbah.
The Ammonites turned to idolatry and worshiped Molech, to whom babies were sacrificed. They became a cruel people. For example, they "ripped up the women with child of Gilead" (Amos 1:13). They were eventually conquered by Babylon and, during the Roman period, were presumably absorbed into the Arab nation.