Judges 11:15

Modern

…to tell him, “This is what Jephthah says: Israel did not take away the land of Moab or of the Ammonites.

Traditional

And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon:

Literal

…and said to him, “Thus says Jephthah: Israel did not take away the land of Moab or the land of the sons of Ammon.

Latin

Hæc dicit Jephte: Non tulit Israël terram Moab, nec terram filiorum Ammon:

Hebrew

English

…to tell him, “This is what Jephthah says: Israel did not take away the land of Moab or of the Ammonites.

Jephthah first tried to solve the issue through diplomacy instead of using military force (compare Deuteronomy 20:10–11).
Unlike the nomadic and raiding Midianites from Gideon's time, the Ammonites were a settled tribe. Their land was east of Israel's territory in Transjordan (east of the Jordan River), with Rabbah as their capital. The Ammonites, like the Moabites (both who were descended from Lot) and the Edomites (descendants of Esau), were to be left alone because the Lord assigned their territories to them (Deuteronomy 2:16–23).
Contrary to the Ammonite king's claim, the Amorites, not the Ammonites or Moabites, lived between the Arnon and Jabbok rivers during the conquest. When Sihon refused to let Israel pass, the Lord gave the land of the Amorite kings Sihon and Og to Israel. The Ammonite king had no valid reason to argue with Israel.

Theme notes and profiles

Deuteronomy 2:19
But when you get close to the Ammonites, do not harass them or provoke them, for I will not give you any of the land of the Ammonites. I have given it to the descendants of Lot as their possession.”
Deuteronomy 2:9
Then the LORD said to me, “Do not harass the Moabites or provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land, because I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as their possession.”
2 Chronicles 20:10
And now, here are the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, whom You did not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt. So Israel turned away from them and did not destroy them.
Numbers 21:27–30
That is why the poets say: “Come to Heshbon, let it be rebuilt; let the city of Sihon be restored.
Acts 24:12–13
Yet my accusers did not find me debating with anyone in the temple or riling up a crowd in the synagogues or in the city.
Numbers 21:13–15
From there they moved on and camped on the other side of the Arnon, in the wilderness that extends into the Amorite territory. Now the Arnon is the border between the Moabites and the Amorites.

Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes Jephthah: A judge of Israel, known for his tragic vow

Ammon: An ancient nation and its capital city, enemies of Israel Moab: Ancient kingdom east of the Dead Sea in Jordan