Keraia
Judges 11

Judges 11:20

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

Translations

Modern
But Sihon would not trust Israel to pass through his territory. So he gathered all his people, encamped in Jahaz, and fought with Israel.
Traditional
But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against Israel.
Literal
And Sihon did not trust Israel to pass through his territory. And Sihon gathered together all his people and encamped in Jahaz, and he fought against Israel.
Latin
Qui et ipse Israël verba despiciens, non dimisit eum transire per terminos suos: sed infinita multitudine congregata, egressus est contra eum in Jasa, et fortiter resistebat.

Original

Hebrew
English
But Sihon would not trust Israel to pass through his territory. So he gathered all his people, encamped in Jahaz, and fought with Israel.

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

Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes Sihon: Amorite king of Heshbon, defeated by the Israelites

Places

Jahaz: A town in Moab, site of Israelite victories

Glossary

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

Topics

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