Judges 11:28 kjv
Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he sent him.
Judges 11:28 nkjv
However, the king of the people of Ammon did not heed the words which Jephthah sent him.
Judges 11:28 niv
The king of Ammon, however, paid no attention to the message Jephthah sent him.
Judges 11:28 esv
But the king of the Ammonites did not listen to the words of Jephthah that he sent to him.
Judges 11:28 nlt
But the king of Ammon paid no attention to Jephthah's message.
Judges 11 28 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exo 8:15 | But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen... | Pharaoh's stubborn heart refusing God's word |
| Exo 9:34 | But when Pharaoh saw that the rain, hail, and thunder had ceased, he sinned again and hardened his heart... | Persistent hardening of heart |
| Isa 6:9-10 | "Go and tell this people: 'Be ever hearing, but never understanding... make their ears dull, and close their eyes...'" | People refusing to listen to prophetic word |
| Zech 7:11-12 | "But they refused to pay attention... and stopped their ears so they could not hear... made their hearts like flint..." | National refusal to obey God's law |
| Prov 29:1 | He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing. | Danger of continuous resistance |
| Jer 7:25-26 | "...I sent to you all My servants the prophets... But they did not listen to Me... they stiffened their neck..." | Israel's consistent rejection of prophets |
| Jer 25:3-4 | "...the Lord has spoken to you, rising up early and speaking, but you have not listened... you have not inclined your ear..." | Persistent disregard for divine warning |
| Deut 28:15 | "But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God... then all these curses shall come upon you..." | Consequences of not heeding God's voice |
| Isa 1:19-20 | "If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword." | Choice between obedience and rebellion |
| Deut 2:19 | "...do not harass them or contend with them, for I will not give you any of the land of the Ammonites as a possession..." | God's instruction concerning Ammonites' land |
| Num 21:21-26 | "...Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, 'Let us pass...'" (details of Sihon's defeat) | Jephthah's historical point on Sihon |
| Deut 2:31-35 | "...Then the Lord said to me, 'See, I have begun to deliver Sihon... we captured all his cities..." | Basis for Israel's claim to Amorite land |
| Psa 105:43-45 | He brought out His people with joy... And gave them the lands of the nations... that they might keep His statutes..." | God's divine land grant to Israel |
| Heb 3:7-8 | "...Today, if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion..." | Warning against resisting God's Spirit |
| Matt 13:13-15 | "...they neither hear nor understand... their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed..." | Unwillingness to perceive truth |
| Luke 7:30 | "But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the plan of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him." | Religious leaders' rejection of God's counsel |
| Luke 13:34 | "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem... How often I wanted to gather your children together... but you were not willing!" | Jesus' lament over Jerusalem's rejection |
| Acts 7:51 | "You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you." | Stephen's indictment of Israel's rebellion |
| Rom 2:4-6 | "...Or do you despise the riches of His goodness... not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But because of your hard..." | Unheeded goodness leads to judgment |
| John 5:40 | "But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life." | Unwillingness to come to Christ |
| 1 Sam 8:7 | "...they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them." | Rejection of messenger is rejection of God |
| Jer 6:10 | "To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot give heed..." | Unreceptive ear to God's word |
Judges 11 verses
Judges 11 28 Meaning
Jephthah, as the chosen leader of Israel, sent a comprehensive and biblically reasoned message to the Ammonite king, attempting to resolve their territorial dispute peacefully. Judges 11:28 records the king's outright refusal to consider or acknowledge this detailed and truthful plea. This decisive act of rejection indicated an unwillingness to engage in rational diplomacy, cementing his hostile intentions and making military conflict inevitable as the only remaining recourse for Israel. The king's action represents a willful disregard for historical fact, divine decree, and the possibility of peace.
Judges 11 28 Context
Judges 11:28 occurs within the narrative of Jephthah, one of Israel's judges. Following his calling to lead Israel against the oppressive Ammonites (11:1-11), Jephthah's first strategic action was not immediate war, but a diplomatic negotiation (11:12-27). He dispatched messengers to the Ammonite king, presenting a thorough, historically and theologically sound argument for Israel's rightful claim to the disputed land. Jephthah detailed that Israel had not taken land from Ammon or Moab, but from the Amorite King Sihon, whose land was granted by God. He also pointed out the 300 years of Israel's occupation without Ammonite protest. The king's rejection of this reasoned plea, as stated in verse 28, therefore signifies a deliberate refusal to acknowledge truth and respect for God's historical actions on Israel's behalf. This obstinacy by the Ammonite king directly sets the stage for the war that follows (11:29ff). The broader historical context is the turbulent period of the Judges, marked by Israel's apostasy, divine judgment through foreign oppression, and subsequent deliverance by divinely raised leaders.
Judges 11 28 Word analysis
- But (וְ / v’): This Hebrew conjunction, commonly translated as "and," serves here to introduce a significant turning point, a contrast, or a climactic statement. It emphatically signals that despite Jephthah’s comprehensive and reasonable diplomatic overture, the outcome was entirely negative.
- the king of the Ammonites: This phrase underscores the official and deliberate nature of the rejection. The Ammonite ruler represents his nation’s policy and hostility. His decision was not an oversight but a conscious act of leadership.
- did not heed (לֹא שָׁמַע / lo shama'):
- לֹא (lo): A strong negative particle, conveying an absolute "no" or "not."
- שָׁמַע (shama'): A critically important verb in the Hebrew Bible. It means far more than merely "to hear" a sound. It encompasses listening attentively, understanding, obeying, and giving diligent attention to. Therefore, "did not heed" means the king actively refused to listen, acknowledge, understand, or obey the message, particularly its divine and historical implications. This signifies stubbornness and a closed heart.
- the message (דִּבְרֵי / divrey): Literally "words of" or "matters of." This plural noun refers to Jephthah's extensive and weighty communication. It implies a detailed presentation, not just a casual note. It covers the entirety of Jephthah’s diplomatic arguments in Judges 11:15-27, which included historical facts, divine providence, and reasoned logic.
- which Jephthah sent him: This highlights Jephthah’s proactive, responsible, and ethical approach as Israel's leader. He sought peace through diplomatic means first, exhausting all avenues before resorting to warfare. It validates the legitimacy and seriousness of Israel's position.
Words-group Analysis
- "But the king of the Ammonites did not heed": This phrase isolates the primary action and agent of refusal. It immediately reveals the obstinacy of the Ammonite king. This refusal goes beyond mere dismissal; it indicates a willful closed-mindedness to historical truth and the authority, implicit in Jephthah's argument, of the God of Israel. It sets the king as fully culpable for the impending conflict.
Judges 11 28 Bonus section
- Echoes of Deuteronomy: Jephthah's attempt at peace before war aligns with the spirit of the pre-war protocol in Deut 20:10-12, where a city should be offered terms of peace before siege. Jephthah applied this principle even to the Ammonites, demonstrating a righteous leadership that sought peace even with their adversaries.
- Implicit Rejection of Yahweh: Since Jephthah's arguments hinged on the actions of "the Lord God of Israel" (Judg 11:23-24), the Ammonite king's refusal to "heed" was an implicit and bold rejection of the God who delivered Israel and assigned them their territory. This directly provokes divine judgment.
- Parallel to Prophetic Ministry: The Ammonite king's refusal to hear God's truth through His messenger mirrors countless instances in the prophets where Israel itself "did not heed" or "hardened their hearts" against the divine message, leading to divine judgment or captivity.
Judges 11 28 Commentary
Judges 11:28 is the turning point in the conflict between Israel and Ammon. It reveals the core of the Ammonite king's stance: an arrogant and stubborn refusal to accept the truth of Israel's history and divine land right, as presented by Jephthah. Jephthah's message was not just a legal claim, but a theological argument rooted in Yahweh's actions in history. The king's failure to "heed" thus reflects a dismissal not just of human reasoning, but of God's sovereignty. This act of deliberate rejection sealed the fate of the two nations, moving from potential peace to unavoidable war. It demonstrates that when truth and divine claims are stubbornly rejected, conflict often becomes the final arbiter. This teaches the gravity of closing one's ears to God's voice and His truth, and the inevitable consequences.