Judges 11:28

Modern

But the king of the Ammonites paid no heed to the message Jephthah sent him.

Traditional

Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he sent him.

Literal

And the king of the sons of Ammon did not listen to the words of Jephthah, that he sent to him.

Latin

Noluitque acquiescere rex filiorum Ammon verbis Jephte, quæ per nuntios mandaverat.

Hebrew

English

But the king of the Ammonites paid no heed to the message Jephthah sent him.

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

Proverbs 16:18
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
2 Kings 14:11
But Amaziah would not listen, so Jehoash king of Israel advanced. He and King Amaziah of Judah faced each other at Beth-shemesh in Judah.

Jephthah: A judge of Israel, known for his tragic vow

Ammon: An ancient nation and its capital city, enemies of Israel