Judges 11 15

Judges 11:15 kjv

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

Judges 11:15 nkjv

and said to him, "Thus says Jephthah: 'Israel did not take away the land of Moab, nor the land of the people of Ammon;

Judges 11:15 niv

saying: "This is what Jephthah says: Israel did not take the land of Moab or the land of the Ammonites.

Judges 11:15 esv

and said to him, "Thus says Jephthah: Israel did not take away the land of Moab or the land of the Ammonites,

Judges 11:15 nlt

"This is what Jephthah says: Israel did not steal any land from Moab or Ammon.

Judges 11 verses

Judges 11 15 Meaning

Judges 11:15 is the beginning of Jephthah's carefully constructed diplomatic argument to the Ammonite king. It directly refutes the Ammonite claim that Israel had unjustly seized their land. Jephthah asserts that historically, Israel never conquered the territories belonging to Moab or Ammon, distinguishing between those nations and the Amorites, from whom Israel legitimately acquired the land according to divine decree and historical circumstances. This verse establishes the factual basis for Jephthah's defense of Israel's right to dwell in the disputed region.

Judges 11 15 Context

This verse is part of a crucial diplomatic exchange between Jephthah, the newly appointed leader of Gilead, and the king of the Ammonites. Following eighteen years of Ammonite oppression against Israel, Jephthah attempts to avert war by sending messengers to the Ammonite king. In Judges 11:13, the Ammonite king claims Israel illegally seized his territory upon leaving Egypt. Jephthah's elaborate response, beginning in verse 15 and extending through verse 27, forms the theological and historical core of his justification for Israel's presence in Transjordan. He aims to establish Israel's legitimate claim to the land east of the Jordan, particularly Gilead, by detailing the specifics of their Exodus, their encounters with the nations of Transjordan, and God's sovereign hand in delivering the land. Jephthah’s argument centers on the critical distinction that Israel had deliberately bypassed the territories God had allotted to Moab and Ammon, conquering only the lands of the Amorite King Sihon, who himself had conquered portions of those lands.

Judges 11 15 Word analysis

• and said to them: This serves as a connective phrase, indicating a continuation of Jephthah's diplomatic efforts following the Ammonite king's initial accusation. The "them" refers to the messengers from the Ammonite king, who would relay Jephthah's elaborate reply.
• Thus says Jephthah: This is a formulaic opening, reminiscent of prophetic pronouncements ("Thus says the LORD"). While Jephthah is not explicitly called a prophet, this phrase lends his words weight and authority as Israel's appointed leader. He speaks as an authorized representative of the nation, implying the truthfulness and gravity of his subsequent declaration.
• Israel (Hebrew: יִשְׂרָאֵל, Yisrael): This term refers to the collective nation, emphasizing that the actions described were those of the entire community, guided by their divine covenant. It contrasts the unified actions of Israel with the fragmented or individual actions of other groups. The use of "Israel" also reinforces the national memory and historical understanding, as Jephthah appeals to their collective past.
• did not take away (Hebrew: לֹא לָקַח, lo lākakh): The negation "did not" (לֹא, lo) strongly denies the accusation. The verb "take away" (לָקַח, lākakh) implies seizing or acquiring. Jephthah is denying an act of unjust seizure or theft, asserting that Israel's possession was not by unlawful means from these specific nations. This directly challenges the Ammonite king's claim of theft.
• the land of Moab (Hebrew: אֶרֶץ מוֹאָב, eretz Mo'av): Refers to the specific territory occupied by the Moabite people. Jephthah includes Moab even though the immediate dispute is with Ammon because Moab was an adjacent and historically related kingdom in Transjordan. God had specifically instructed Israel not to encroach on Moabite land (Deut 2:9). This inclusion demonstrates Jephthah's precise knowledge of Israel's history and adherence to God's commands regarding neighboring nations. It also highlights a strategic nuance: if Israel respected Moabite boundaries, why would they violate Ammonite ones without cause?
• nor the land of the Ammonites (Hebrew: וְאֶת אֶרֶץ בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן, v'et eretz benei 'Ammon): Refers to the specific territory of the Ammonite people. The Hebrew "sons of Ammon" emphasizes their distinct tribal identity. This is the direct refutation of the Ammonite king's core accusation in Judges 11:13. Jephthah's assertion directly denies any direct aggression or territorial appropriation against Ammon by Israel during their Exodus. This declaration sets up the subsequent detailed historical account, which clarifies exactly whose land Israel did take.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "and said to them, 'Thus says Jephthah: Israel did not take away": This phrasing sets a formal, authoritative tone. Jephthah's immediate denial is strong, asserting Israel's innocence of the specific charge of unlawful seizure from the outset of his argument. It also frames the dispute as an international matter where the collective actions of nations are in question, rather than individual acts.
• "the land of Moab nor the land of the Ammonites": By explicitly naming both Moab and Ammon, Jephthah preempts any broader claims by the Ammonites over Transjordan. He highlights Israel's adherence to divine directives, distinguishing carefully between God's command not to seize Moabite or Ammonite territory (Deut 2:9, 19) and their justified conquest of Amorite land (Num 21:21-26). This sets the stage for Jephthah to present the accurate historical account, asserting that the disputed land was not taken from Ammon but from the Amorite king Sihon, who had conquered it from earlier inhabitants, including parts of Moab. This detailed knowledge also implicitly counters any claim that all Transjordan land was inherently Moabite or Ammonite by origin.

Judges 11 15 Bonus section

• Polemics against Polytheism: Jephthah's subsequent detailed argument (Judges 11:24) appeals to Yahweh's sovereign authority over land allocation, directly challenging the Ammonite king's potential reliance on his own deity, Chemosh (often associated with Molech), for land claims. This highlights the foundational belief that YHWH alone determines national boundaries and possessions.
• Legal Acumen: Jephthah's argument showcases a high level of historical and legal-diplomatic acumen, functioning like a legal brief. He meticulously lays out the historical timeline and legal precedent, emphasizing key events, divine decrees, and the identity of the original occupants and conquerors of the land in dispute.
• Irony of the Accusation: The Ammonites accuse Israel of land theft, yet Ammon themselves had historically been aggressive, often oppressing Israel (Judges 10:7) and attempting to expand their own territory. Moreover, the land Israel took was from Sihon, king of the Amorites, who himself had conquered it, in part, from the Moabites (Num 21:26). Jephthah implicitly understands and uses this complex history.

Judges 11 15 Commentary

Judges 11:15 is the strategic opening of Jephthah's powerful diplomatic defense. It establishes the central counter-argument to the Ammonite king's false accusation. Rather than launching into an emotional tirade, Jephthah presents a factual, concise, and verifiable historical assertion: Israel did not trespass upon or illegally seize the sovereign territories of Moab or Ammon. This opening serves several critical functions. Firstly, it clears Israel of the charge of covetousness or unprovoked aggression. Secondly, by specifically naming Moab alongside Ammon, Jephthah demonstrates his precise knowledge of Israel's journey through Transjordan and God's specific commands to respect the boundaries of these nations. This detail is crucial because the disputed land was historically Amorite, who had taken some of it from Moab. This prefigures the theological backbone of his argument: YHWH, the God of Israel, is the true giver of land, and His people only acquired land legitimately given by Him, specifically from the Amorites who opposed them. This initial statement frames the ensuing historical narrative as one of divine justice and Israel's obedience to it.