Keraia
Judges 11

Judges 11:19

Jephthah Delivers Israel · Judges 11:1–28
Read Judges 11

Translations

Modern
And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon, and said to him, ‘Please let us pass through your land into our own place.’
Traditional
And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land into my place.
Literal
And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorite, king of Heshbon. And Israel said to him, ‘Let us pass, please, through your land into our place.’
Latin
Misit itaque Israël nuntios ad Sehon regem Amorrhæorum, qui habitabat in Hesebon, et dixerunt ei: Dimitte ut transeam per terram tuam usque ad fluvium.

Original

Hebrew
English
And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon, and said to him, ‘Please let us pass through your land into our own place.’

Notes

Judges 11:12–28

  • 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

Moab and Ammon The Exodus as History

Events

People

Amorites: Canaanite people group, enemies of Israel Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes Sihon: Amorite king of Heshbon, defeated by the Israelites

Places

Heshbon: Amorite city conquered by Moses, allotted to Reuben

Glossary

Ammon, Ammonites Family Life and Relations Gilead (Place) Jabbok Judges, Book of Mizpah Palestine

Topics

Ambassadors: Israelites to Various Nations Diplomacy of Jephthah, with the King of Moab, Unsuccessful Jephthah: His Message to the King of the Ammonites Prayer: Answered: Ammon The Ammonites: Jephthah Raised up to Deliver Israel From