12 And Jephthah sendeth messengers unto the king of the Bene-Ammon, saying, 'What—to me and to thee, that thou hast come in unto me, to fight in my land.' 13 And the king of the Bene-Ammon saith unto the messengers of Jephthah, 'Because Israel took my land in his coming up out of Egypt, from Arnon, and unto the Jabbok, and unto the Jordan; and now, restore them in peace.' 14 And Jephthah addeth yet and sendeth messengers unto the king of the Bene-Ammon, 15 and saith to him, 'Thus said Jephthah, Israel took not the land of Moab, and the land of the Bene-Ammon, 16 for in their coming up out of Egypt, Israel goeth in the wilderness unto the Red Sea, and cometh in to Kadesh, 17 and Israel sendeth messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me pass over, I pray thee, through thy land, and the king of Edom hearkened not; and also unto the king of Moab hath 'Israel' sent, and he hath not been willing; and Israel abideth in Kadesh, 18 and he goeth through the wilderness, and compasseth the land of Edom and the land of Moab, and cometh in at the rising of the sun of the land of Moab, and they encamp beyond Arnon, and have not come into the border of Moab, for Arnon 'is' the border of Moab. 19 'And Israel sendeth messengers unto Sihon, king of the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and Israel saith to him, Let us pass over, we pray thee, through thy land, unto my place, 20 and Sihon hath not trusted Israel to pass over through his border, and Sihon gathereth all his people, and they encamp in Jahaz, and fight with Israel; 21 and Jehovah, God of Israel, giveth Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they smite them, and Israel possesseth all the land of the Amorite, the inhabitant of that land, 22 and they possess all the border of the Amorite from Arnon, and unto the Jabbok, and from the wilderness, and unto the Jordan. 23 'And now, Jehovah, God of Israel, hath dispossessed the Amorite from the presence of His people Israel, and thou wouldst possess it! 24 That which Chemosh thy god causeth thee to possess—dost thou not possess it? and all that which Jehovah our God hath dispossessed from our presence,—it we do possess. 25 'And now, 'art' thou at all better than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? did he at all strive with Israel? did he at all fight against them? 26 In Israel's dwelling in Heshbon and in its towns, and in Aroer and in its towns, and in all the cities which 'are' by the sides of Arnon three hundred years—and wherefore have ye not delivered them in that time? 27 And I—I have not sinned against thee, and thou art doing with me evil—to fight against me. Jehovah, the Judge, doth judge to-day between the sons of Israel and the sons of Ammon.' 28 And the king of the Bene-Ammon hath not hearkened unto the words of Jephthah which he sent unto him,
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Judges 11:12-28
Commentary on Judges 11:12-28
(Read Judges 11:12-28)
One instance of the honour and respect we owe to God, as our God, is, rightly to employ what he gives us to possess. Receive it from him, use it for him, and part with it when he calls for it. The whole of this message shows that Jephthah was well acquainted with the books of Moses. His argument was clear, and his demand reasonable. Those who possess the most courageous faith, will be the most disposed for peace, and the readiest to make advances to obtain; but rapacity and ambition often cloak their designs under a plea of equity, and render peaceful endeavours of no avail.