Throughout the Old Testament, the Amorites are portrayed not merely as enemies of Israel but as dominant, persistent obstacles to divine inheritance. In Neville Goddard’s framework—where the Bible is understood as psychological allegory—the Amorites emerge as powerful symbols of inner resistance. They represent something more than just ancient tribes: they stand for mental strongholds, subconscious arguments, and misplaced affections that prevent the fulfilment of one’s desire.
Yet when viewed in the context of the other “-ites”—the Hittites, Jebusites, Perizzites, and others—the symbolism of the Amorites becomes even more sharply defined. Among all the nations to be “driven out” before possession of the Promised Land, the Amorites are most often singled out, and their kings depicted as giants and rulers. This gives us a clue to their true nature: they are the loudest, most intellectually defended, and emotionally justified of inner resistances.
The Iniquity of the Amorites: Inner Readiness for Change
“But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.”
—Genesis 15:16
In this cryptic statement to Abram, God indicates that entry into the Promised Land is not yet possible. Neville might interpret this as a psychological timing: you cannot assume and sustain a new state of being until the old pattern has exhausted itself. The Amorite here represents a resistance that must run its course before you're willing to abandon it.
Neville would define the fourth generation as the moment when a person’s mental patterns reach their limit—the moment when a particular state of consciousness has fully matured. The fourth son is often key to a significant shift in consciousness. For example, in the story of Jacob, his fourth son is Judah, who represents praise and marks a breakthrough in consciousness, shifting the family line towards a new spiritual direction. Similarly, the fourth generation is the point in Neville's interpretation where the mind has fully matured, and you are ready to move into a new phase of understanding and manifestation.
Amorites as Speaking Strongholds
The name Amorite is believed to stem from the root amar—“to say” or “to speak.” This highlights their symbolic nature as inner narratives.
“Sihon king of the Amorites... would not let Israel pass by him... for the Lord thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand.”
—Deuteronomy 2:30
Sihon refuses passage. This is the internal dialogue that refuses to let your awareness move freely into a new state. He is the logical gatekeeper who argues convincingly against possibility.
“Behold, Og the king of Bashan remained of the remnant of giants... nine cubits was the length thereof, and four cubits the breadth of it.”
—Deuteronomy 3:11
Og of Bashan, another Amorite king, is described with great size and authority. These aren’t just enemies—they are giants of thought. Ideas you've held for years. Beliefs passed down, reinforced by experience, swollen with “truth,” but no longer life-giving.
Misplaced Love and the Seduction of the Old Self
Here, a subtle yet potent symbolism emerges. The word Amorite echoes the French amour (love). Neville often interpreted names symbolically, such as Jesse as je suis (“I AM”). Following that method, Amorites can be seen as symbols of what you continue to love, even when it limits you.
These inner enemies are not external forces, but old concepts, beloved justifications, and inherited conclusions we haven’t released. Like a toxic relationship, they have history, sentimentality, and even affection. But they are not aligned with your Promised Land.
The Broader Landscape of Inner Resistance: Other “-ites”
“When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land... and hath cast out many nations before thee... seven nations greater and mightier than thou…”
—Deuteronomy 7:1
The “-ite” tribes form a psychological landscape of resistance:
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Hittites – fear and intimidation
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Perizzites – vulnerability or lack of boundaries
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Jebusites – self-rejection or shame
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Canaanites – base materialism and transactional thinking
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Hivites – flattery or subtle deception
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Girgashites – stubborn inertia
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Amorites – the ruling narrative, the king voice of the old self
This reinforces the Amorites’ role as the most vocal, dominant inner adversaries. They may not be the most obviously evil—but they are the most reasonable sounding. This is why their kings are so prominent and must be defeated before any true progress.
The Cycle of Return: Judges and the Voice that Lingers
“And they served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria... and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the Lord, and served not him.”
“And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon.”
—Judges 10:6–7
Israel’s return to oppression by familiar enemies—including the Amorites—is a psychological relapse. You may assume the new state briefly, but if your mind slips back into the arguments of the past, the Amorite rises again. This is not failure—just the reminder that renewing the mind is a daily practice.
Conclusion: Casting Out the Amorite
To “drive out the Amorites” is not to do battle with enemies, but to end the love affair with your limitations. The Amorite is the voice that says, “Be realistic,” “Don’t hope too much,” or “You’ve already tried.” But these voices only live because you believe in them. They fall when you cease to feed them.
“And the Lord our God delivered him before us; and we smote him, and his sons, and all his people.”
—Deuteronomy 2:33
This verse isn’t about violence; it’s about finality. The moment when the old voice no longer gets a hearing. When the king of the old mindset is dethroned, then you can cross over.
The Promised Land is not awarded to those who strive, but to those who assume.
And assumption becomes effortless once the Amorite has been cast out from the throne of your inner kingdom.
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