Judges 11 13

Judges 11:13 kjv

And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again peaceably.

Judges 11:13 nkjv

And the king of the people of Ammon answered the messengers of Jephthah, "Because Israel took away my land when they came up out of Egypt, from the Arnon as far as the Jabbok, and to the Jordan. Now therefore, restore those lands peaceably."

Judges 11:13 niv

The king of the Ammonites answered Jephthah's messengers, "When Israel came up out of Egypt, they took away my land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, all the way to the Jordan. Now give it back peaceably."

Judges 11:13 esv

And the king of the Ammonites answered the messengers of Jephthah, "Because Israel on coming up from Egypt took away my land, from the Arnon to the Jabbok and to the Jordan; now therefore restore it peaceably."

Judges 11:13 nlt

The king of Ammon answered Jephthah's messengers, "When the Israelites came out of Egypt, they stole my land from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River and all the way to the Jordan. Now then, give back the land peaceably."

Judges 11 verses

Judges 11 13 Meaning

Judges 11:13 records the Ammonite king's justification for waging war against Israel. He claims that when Israel exited Egypt, they illegally seized Ammonite territory, specifically the region between the Arnon and Jabbok rivers, extending to the Jordan River. Therefore, he demands the peaceful restoration of these lands to avert conflict. This assertion initiates the critical exchange where Jephthah presents Israel’s counter-argument based on historical and divine facts.

Judges 11 13 Context

Judges 11 is situated within the period of the Judges, a time of recurrent cycles of Israelite apostasy, divine judgment through oppression by foreign powers, Israel's cries for help, and God raising up a judge to deliver them. The specific context of Judges 11 begins with Israel, having served the gods of surrounding nations (including Ammon), being severely oppressed by both the Philistines and Ammonites (Judg 10:6-9). After crying out to God and purging their foreign gods, the Spirit of the LORD comes upon Jephthah, whom the Gileadites summon to lead them against Ammon (Judg 10:15-18; 11:4-11).

Verse 13 records the Ammonite king's first response to Jephthah's diplomatic overture. Jephthah had sent messengers to inquire about the reason for their aggression (Judg 11:12). The Ammonite king's answer presents a distorted historical claim, alleging Israel unlawfully seized his territory centuries ago. This sets the stage for Jephthah's lengthy, accurate rebuttal (Judg 11:14-28), which meticulously details Israel's rightful possession of the land through God's command and conquest of the Amorites, not the Ammonites. This dispute highlights the core issue of land ownership, covenant promises, and historical truth during this turbulent era.

Judges 11 13 Word analysis

• And the king of the children of Ammon (מֶלֶךְ בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן - melech Bnei Ammon):
  • melech (king) signifies the official, authoritative voice and decision-maker of the Ammonite nation. His claim is the formal reason for war.
  • Bnei Ammon (Sons of Ammon) emphasizes their tribal and national identity, tracing back to Ben-Ammi, son of Lot (Gen 19:38). Their stated grievances were central to their national consciousness.
• answered (וַיַּעַן - vayya'an):
  • Hebrew verb for "to answer" or "to respond." Indicates the formal reply to Jephthah's diplomatic inquiry (Judg 11:12). This was a state-level declaration.
• unto the messengers (מַלְאֲכֵי - mal'akei):
  • mal'akei means "messengers" or "envoys." Their presence signifies a formal attempt at resolving conflict before military action, underscoring the legalistic nature of the Ammonite claim.
• of Jephthah (יִפְתָּח - Yiftach):
  • Hebrew name meaning "He (God) will open" or "He will open (the womb)." A Gileadite, a mighty warrior, and an appointed judge, called to deliver Israel from Ammonite oppression.
• Because Israel (כִּי־לָקַח יִשְׂרָאֵל - ki lakaḥ Yisrael):
  • ki ("because," "for") introduces the stated reason or justification.
  • lakaḥ ("took," "seized," "received") here implies illegal appropriation from the Ammonite perspective.
  • Yisrael ("Israel"), the nation, is directly accused.
• took away my land (אֶת־אַרְצִי - et artzi):
  • et artzi means "my land," "my territory." The possessive suffix indicates a strong, asserted claim of ownership by the Ammonite king, albeit a historically disputed one. The essence of the conflict lies in this alleged seizure of territory.
• when they came up out of Egypt (בַּעֲלוֹתָם מִמִּצְרַיִם - ba'alotam mimmitzrayim):
  • Refers to the Exodus, a pivotal moment in Israel's history. The Ammonite king frames the supposed seizure as a centuries-old grievance stemming from this period, giving it historical weight.
• from Arnon (מֵאַרְנוֹן - me'Arnon):
  • The River Arnon, a major natural boundary running east-west, emptying into the Dead Sea. It historically served as a boundary for Moab to the south and Amorite territory (later Reuben/Gad) to the north. This was never Ammonite territory.
• even unto Jabbok (וְעַד־יַבֹּק - v'ad-Yabbok):
  • The River Jabbok, a significant tributary of the Jordan. It often marked the northern border of Ammonite influence. The disputed territory lay between the Arnon and the Jabbok, a region actually held by Sihon the Amorite, not Ammon.
• and unto Jordan (וְעַד־הַיַּרְדֵּן - v'ad-hayYarden):
  • The Jordan River, forming Israel's western boundary in this region. The claim implies that the territory stretched from the Arnon to the Jabbok, then to the Jordan, thus covering a significant part of Transjordan, specifically the Amorite lands given to Gad and Reuben.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "Because Israel took away my land": This phrase encapsulates the core accusation – an alleged act of dispossession. The Ammonite king frames their aggression as retaliation for a historical injustice, thereby seeking legitimacy for their invasion and challenging Israel's divine right to the land.
• "when they came up out of Egypt": This establishes the time frame of the alleged transgression. It suggests a long-held grievance, designed to give the Ammonite claim historical weight and moral justification, even if based on distortion. It targets the very foundation of Israel's national identity rooted in the Exodus.
• "from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan": This specifies the geographical extent of the disputed territory. It refers to the lands of Sihon, king of the Amorites, which God gave to Israel after their defeat (Num 21; Deut 2). The Ammonites, who were specifically forbidden for Israel to dispossess (Deut 2:19), now assert a claim to this Amorite land, misrepresenting history and attempting to seize what was legitimately Israel's. This precise geographical specification allows Jephthah to precisely refute the claim.

Judges 11 13 Bonus section

The Ammonite claim might also reflect their opportunistic nature, waiting centuries after Sihon's defeat (a powerful Amorite king, Num 21) to press their "ancestral claim" against Israel, who was weakened by apostasy (Judg 10:6-9). This highlights a common tactic among nations: exploit perceived weakness to recover or gain territory under a manufactured pretext. Jephthah's subsequent detailed refutation (Judges 11:14-27) is not just a historical lesson; it is a profound theological statement affirming God's sovereignty over land distribution and His faithfulness to His covenant promises to Israel. The Ammonite king's argument is ultimately a rejection of God's providence, similar to how many nations and individuals disregard divine truth for self-interest. This narrative also teaches the importance of knowing and upholding biblical history and truth, especially when confronted with false accusations.

Judges 11 13 Commentary

Judges 11:13 serves as the Ammonite king's official, albeit distorted, explanation for his aggression against Israel. His claim is pivotal as it lays bare a deliberate revision of history, framing Israel's possession of the Transjordanian territory (modern-day Gilead) as an illegal usurpation. The land in question – between the Arnon and Jabbok rivers, stretching to the Jordan – was indeed conquered by Israel, but from Sihon, king of the Amorites, not from the Ammonites. Moses explicitly commanded Israel not to encroach upon Ammonite territory (Deut 2:19), a command Israel diligently followed. The Ammonite king's assertion is thus a historical falsehood, used to justify his covetous intent and military expansion. This deceptive premise for war underscores the cunning and aggressive nature of Israel's enemies during the period of the Judges, highlighting their disregard for truth and the rule of divine law concerning territorial boundaries. This foundational lie necessitates Jephthah's extensive and precise historical recounting in the following verses, demonstrating that godly leadership often involves not just military might, but also clear and truthful articulation of God's ways and historical facts against fabricated narratives.