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Prophecy

Ammon cut off, Rabbah in ruins? (Ezekiel 25, Jeremiah 49:1-6)

Roman-period Temple of Hercules on the citadel of Amman, ancient Rabbah. It shows that the city was inhabited again.
Archaeological object Roman-period Temple of Hercules on the citadel of Amman, ancient Rabbah. It shows that the city was inhabited again. — AliAbuRas, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

◐ Written shortly before or at the time: it cannot be decided

Written c. 605–571 BC according to tradition; 600–500 BC according to historians. Event: c. 582–250 BC.

See the full entry: sources, objections, answers

In short

The announcement. The prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel, between 605 and 571 BC, announce that the people of Ammon will be cut off from among the countries and that its capital, Rabbah, will become “a heap of ruins”.

What happened. According to Josephus, Nebuchadnezzar makes war on the Ammonites in 582 BC, and their kingdom never reappears. But Rabbah never ceased to be inhabited: rebuilt under the name Philadelphia, it is today Amman, the capital of Jordan.

What is still debated. the end of the kingdom is real, but the announcement of a capital in ruins is contradicted by the continuous occupation of the site.

What would be striking if the text came first

Half of the announcement proved true, the other half did not: Jeremiah promised the capital would be “a heap of ruins”, and the city has never ceased to be inhabited. A good example of the sorting to be done in an oracle written shortly before or during the events.

Main objection (in French for now)

Jr 49:2 annonce que Rabba « deviendra un monceau de ruines » : la citadelle d’Amman est occupée sans interruption de l’âge du Bronze à la fin de l’époque islamique, rebâtie sous le nom de Philadelphie, et la ville est aujourd’hui la capitale de la Jordanie.

The text (World English Bible)

“Son of man, set your face toward the children of Ammon, and prophesy against them. Tell the children of Ammon, ‘Hear the word of the Lord GOD! The Lord GOD says, “Because you said, ‘Aha!’ against my sanctuary when it was profaned, and against the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and against the house of Judah when they went into captivity, therefore, behold, I will deliver you to the children of the east for a possession. They will set their encampments in you and make their dwellings in you. They will eat your fruit and they will drink your milk. I will make Rabbah a stable for camels and the children of Ammon a resting place for flocks. Then you will know that I am the LORD.” …

Ezek 25:2-7

Of the children of Ammon. The LORD says: “Has Israel no sons? Has he no heir? Why then does Malcam possess Gad, and his people dwell in its cities? Therefore behold, the days come,” says the LORD, “that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and it will become a desolate heap, and her daughters will be burned with fire; then Israel will possess those who possessed him,” says the LORD. “Wail, Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste! Cry, you daughters of Rabbah! Clothe yourself in sackcloth. Lament, and run back and forth among the fences; for Malcam will go into captivity, his priests and his princes together.

Jer 49:1-3

Sources