And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel.

JUDGES 11:4KJV
Know the Bible

Judges 11:4 (KJV)

What does Judges 11:4 mean?

Judges 11:4 introduces a conflict that changes the situation for Jephthah and the people of Israel. After some time has passed, the Ammonites, a people living east of Israel, go to war against Israel. The verse sets the scene for Jephthah’s return to the story.

The narrator marks the change with “in process of time,” after describing Jephthah’s life away from his family in verse 3. The phrase “children of Ammon” refers to the Ammonite people, not just to young children.

The Hebrew behind Judges 11:4

  • “time” — יוֹם (yom): The word can mean “day” or a period of time. Here, the Hebrew phrase behind “in process of time” signals that some time has passed without giving an exact length.

Why Judges 11:4 matters

  • The war creates the reason for the elders of Gilead to seek Jephthah. In verse 5, they go to bring him back from the land of Tob.
  • The conflict concerns more than Jephthah’s family dispute. “Made war against Israel” places the threat on a larger scale, even though the following verses focus on the people of Gilead.

Where else these words appear

“Ammon” Hebrew H5983 · used in 98 verses

  • Genesis 19:38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.
  • Judges 12:1 And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire.
  • 1 Chronicles 19:11 And the rest of the people he delivered unto the hand of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in array against the children of Ammon.