and they said to him, “This is what Jephthah says: ‘Israel did not take the land of Moab nor the land of the sons of Ammon.
Parallel translations
- WEB and he said to him, “Thus says Jephthah: Israel didn’t take away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon,
- KJV And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon:
- BSB to tell him, “This is what Jephthah says: Israel did not take away the land of Moab or of the Ammonites.
- 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;
- NLT “This is what Jephthah says: Israel did not steal any land from Moab or Ammon.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jephthah declares that Israel took neither Moab's nor Ammon's land. He directly denies the basis of Ammon's claim.
Overview
Speaking for Israel, Jephthah flatly rejects the charge of seizing Ammonite or Moabite territory. His denial opens a careful recounting of the exodus journey to prove it. By appealing to the actual record, he rests Israel's case on truth rather than mere force.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Deut 2:19When you come near the border of the children of Ammon, don’t bother them, nor contend with them; for I will not give you any of the land of the children of Ammon for a possession; because I have given it to the children of Lot for a possession.”
- Deut 2:9Yahweh said to me, “Don’t bother Moab, neither contend with them in battle; for I will not give you any of his land for a possession; because I have given Ar to the children of Lot for a possession.”
- Num 21:27–30Therefore those who speak in proverbs say, “Come to Heshbon. Let the city of Sihon be built and established;
- Num 21:13–15From there they traveled, and encamped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness, that comes out of the border of the Amorites: for the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.
- 2 Chr 20:10Now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned aside from them, and didn’t destroy them;
- Acts 24:12–13In the temple they didn’t find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the synagogues, or in the city.
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Christ at the center
Israel's cycle of sin and rescue through flawed deliverers cries out for a Savior who never fails — the true and final Judge and Deliverer who saves his people not for a season but forever.
How Judges 11:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.