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 11:13KJVWhat does Judges 11:13 mean?
Judges 11:13 records the king of the Ammonites explaining to Jephthah’s messengers why he is demanding land from Israel: he claims that Israel took Ammonite territory when they came out of Egypt, specifically the land between the Arnon and Jabbok rivers and up to the Jordan, and now he wants it returned peacefully. The verse sets out the Ammonite king’s grievance as the reason for the conflict.
The speaker is the king of Ammon, responding to Jephthah’s envoys during a tense negotiation. The king’s claim is that Israel unjustly seized land that rightfully belonged to Ammon when the Israelites entered Canaan centuries earlier. This statement frames the dispute not just as a territorial squabble, but as a long-standing historical grievance, which Jephthah will address in the following verses.
The Hebrew behind Judges 11:13
- "children" (בְּנֵי, bənê): This word means "sons" or "descendants," emphasizing that the king speaks on behalf of the whole Ammonite people, not just himself.
- "away" (לָקַח, lāqach): This verb means "to take" or "to seize," showing that the king accuses Israel of forcibly taking land, not just settling in it.
- "again" (הָשִׁיב, hāshiv): This word means "to return" or "to restore," making clear that the king is demanding the land be given back, not just compensation or peace.
- "peaceably" (בְּשָׁלוֹם, b’shalom): This word means "in peace" or "peacefully," indicating the king’s stated preference for a nonviolent resolution, at least in his official message.
Why Judges 11:13 matters
- This verse clarifies that the Ammonite king’s demand is based on a historical claim, not just a sudden act of aggression, which shapes the whole negotiation between the two peoples.
- The king’s version of history sets up the argument that Jephthah will challenge in the following verses, making this a key turning point in the story.
- Understanding the specific places mentioned (Arnon, Jabbok, Jordan) helps readers see the concrete nature of the dispute and the real geography involved, grounding the story in actual locations.