Judges 11:22 kjv
And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan.
Judges 11:22 nkjv
They took possession of all the territory of the Amorites, from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the wilderness to the Jordan.
Judges 11:22 niv
capturing all of it from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the desert to the Jordan.
Judges 11:22 esv
And they took possession of all the territory of the Amorites from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the wilderness to the Jordan.
Judges 11:22 nlt
from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River, and from the eastern wilderness to the Jordan.
Judges 11 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:7 | "Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, 'To your offspring I will give this land...'" | God's promise of land to Abraham. |
| Gen 15:18 | "On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, 'To your descendants I give this land...'" | Formal covenant for land inheritance. |
| Ex 23:27-31 | "I will send my terror ahead of you... little by little I will drive them out before you..." | God's method of dispossessing inhabitants. |
| Ex 34:10-11 | "I will drive out before you the Amorites and the Canaanites..." | Divine pledge to clear the land for Israel. |
| Num 21:21-35 | "Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites... but Sihon would not allow Israel to pass... The LORD God of Israel gave Sihon and all his army into the hand of Israel..." | Historical account of defeating Amorite kings. |
| Deut 2:31 | "And the LORD said to me, 'See, I have begun to give Sihon and his country over to you...'" | God's initiative in the conquest. |
| Deut 7:1-2 | "When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess... and clears away many nations... then you must destroy them totally..." | Command to dispossess and destroy the nations. |
| Deut 9:4-5 | "It is not because of your righteousness... but because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out..." | God's justice in dispossessing other nations. |
| Josh 1:3 | "Every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses, I will give you." | Confirmation of promised land possession. |
| Josh 12:1-6 | "These are the kings of the land whom the Israelites struck down and whose land they took possession of..." | List of conquered kings and their territories. |
| Josh 21:43 | "So the LORD gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled in it." | Fulfillment of the land promise. |
| Josh 23:4-5 | "Remember that I have allotted as an inheritance for your tribes all the land of the nations that remain... the LORD your God will himself drive them out..." | Continued divine agency in securing land. |
| Ps 78:55 | "He drove out nations before them... he allotted their land to them as an inheritance..." | Poetic reaffirmation of God's role as Land-giver. |
| Ps 105:44-45 | "He gave them the lands of the nations... that they might keep his decrees..." | Purpose of land: for obedience to God's law. |
| Neh 9:24 | "The people went in and took possession of the land. You subdued before them the inhabitants... the Canaanites, and you gave them into their hands..." | Confirms divine empowerment in conquest. |
| Isa 43:1 | "But now, this is what the LORD says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel..." | Reaffirms Israel as God's chosen people. |
| Jer 32:21-22 | "You brought your people Israel out of Egypt... and gave them this land..." | God's historical actions for His people. |
| Dan 2:21 | "He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings..." | God's sovereignty over nations and rulers. |
| Acts 7:45 | "Our ancestors in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations God drove out before them." | New Testament recognition of divine dispossession. |
| Heb 11:8-9 | "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance... he made his home in the promised land..." | Faith in the promise of the land. |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession..." | Applies Israel's election to New Covenant believers. |
Judges 11 verses
Judges 11 22 Meaning
This verse asserts God's sovereign act of dispossessing the Amorites and granting their entire land to Israel, which they subsequently occupied. It precisely delineates the extent of this granted territory east of the Jordan River, signifying God's faithfulness in fulfilling His covenant promises regarding the land. Jephthah employs this historical fact to defend Israel's legitimate claim to the land against Ammon's assertion.
Judges 11 22 Context
Judges 11:22 is part of Jephthah's extensive diplomatic response (Judges 11:12-28) to the king of Ammon. The Ammonites had laid claim to the Israelite territory east of the Jordan, alleging that Israel took it when they came out of Egypt. Jephthah, acting as a tribal judge and military leader, refutes this claim by providing a detailed historical and theological argument. His core point is that Israel did not take the land from Ammon, but from the Amorites (specifically Sihon, king of Heshbon, and Og, king of Bashan), after these kings refused Israel peaceful passage. Critically, Jephthah asserts that it was Yahweh, the God of Israel, who delivered the Amorites into Israel's hands, making Israel's possession a divine gift, not a robbery. This specific verse emphasizes the direct, divine nature of the land grant and establishes the historical boundaries of this acquired territory.
Judges 11 22 Word analysis
- He gave (וַיִּתֵּן, wayyitten): From the verb נָתַן, nathan, "to give, put, set." The subject is Yahweh (the LORD, as stated in previous verses by Jephthah, e.g., v. 21). This highlights divine agency and ultimate sovereignty in the transfer of land, contrasting sharply with the Ammonite claim of human conquest or theft. It underscores that Israel's possession was a divine decree and gift, not merely a military victory.
- Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵל, Yisrael): Refers to the covenant people of God, the chosen nation who were promised this land. Their identity is inextricably linked to divine provision.
- all the land of the Amorites (אֵת כָּל־אֶרֶץ הָאֱמֹרִי, 'et kol-’erets hā'emōrî):
- all the land (kol-’erets): Emphasizes totality, not partial occupation. This refers specifically to the Transjordanian territory.
- the Amorites (hā'emōrî): Often used broadly in the Old Testament as a representative term for the pre-Israelite inhabitants of Canaan, though more specifically referring to powerful kingdoms east of the Jordan here. Their dispossession is attributed to God's decree, indicating divine judgment against these peoples.
- and they occupied (וַיִּירָשׁוּהָ, vayyîrāšûhā): From the verb יָרַשׁ, yarash, "to inherit, possess, take possession of." This indicates the active reception and dwelling by Israel, fulfilling the divine grant. It's not passive ownership but active habitation and claim based on divine endowment.
- all the territory (כָּל־גְּבוּל, kol-gevul): From גְּבוּל, gevul, meaning "border, boundary, territory." This phrase reinforces the idea of comprehensive control over the defined geographical region, not just scattered settlements.
- from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the wilderness to the Jordan: This phrase provides precise geographical markers for the Transjordanian territory given to Israel.
- Arnon (אַרְנוֹן, 'Arnôn): A wadi forming the southern boundary of the territory held by Sihon.
- Jabbok (יַבֹּק, Yabbōq): A river serving as a northern boundary in Gilead.
- wilderness (מִדְבָּר, midbar): Refers to the eastern desert region bordering Transjordan.
- Jordan (יַרְדֵּן, Yardēn): The Jordan River, forming the western boundary. These precise borders establish Jephthah’s accurate historical account, based on divinely given territory. The claim is geographically specific and undeniable.
Judges 11 22 Bonus section
This verse subtly introduces the polemical stance against the deities of other nations. By asserting that YHWH dispossessed the Amorites and gave the land to Israel, Jephthah is implicitly challenging the power and authority of any local gods of the Amorites or the Ammonite god Chemosh to protect their territories. The emphasis on YHWH's act asserts His active involvement in Israelite history and His unparalleled sovereignty over national destinies, including land distribution. This reinforces the uniqueness of Israel's God, who not only promises but actively performs.
Judges 11 22 Commentary
Judges 11:22 is a foundational statement within Jephthah's argument, articulating the divine basis for Israel's presence in the Transjordan. It shifts the entire dispute from a human claim of territory to a theological decree: Israel possesses the land because God himself dispossessed the Amorites and gave it to them. This divine transaction establishes Israel's unimpeachable right, transcending human law or historical conquest alone. It's a testament to Yahweh's covenant faithfulness to His people, fulfilling His promises through concrete historical acts of war and dispossession. For Jephthah, this was not just a historical recounting but a declaration of Yahweh's supremacy as the ultimate sovereign over all nations and their lands, directly challenging Ammon's own patron deity Chemosh (v. 24). This verse reinforces the recurring biblical theme that the land belongs to God and He dispenses it according to His divine will and purpose.