Judges 11:13
New International Version
The king of the Ammonites answered Jephthah’s messengers, “When Israel came up out of Egypt, they took away my land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, all the way to the Jordan. Now give it back peaceably.”

New Living Translation
The king of Ammon answered Jephthah’s messengers, “When the Israelites came out of Egypt, they stole my land from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River and all the way to the Jordan. Now then, give back the land peaceably.”

English Standard Version
And the king of the Ammonites answered the messengers of Jephthah, “Because Israel on coming up from Egypt took away my land, from the Arnon to the Jabbok and to the Jordan; now therefore restore it peaceably.”

Berean Standard Bible
The king of the Ammonites answered Jephthah’s messengers, “When Israel came up out of Egypt, they seized my land, from the Arnon to the Jabbok and all the way to the Jordan. Now, therefore, restore it peaceably.”

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
And the king of the people of Ammon answered the messengers of Jephthah, “Because Israel took away my land when they came up out of Egypt, from the Arnon as far as the Jabbok, and to the Jordan. Now therefore, restore those lands peaceably.”

New American Standard Bible
And the king of the sons of Ammon said to the messengers of Jephthah, “It is because Israel took my land when they came up from Egypt, from the Arnon as far as the Jabbok and the Jordan; so return them peaceably now.”

NASB 1995
The king of the sons of Ammon said to the messengers of Jephthah, “Because Israel took away my land when they came up from Egypt, from the Arnon as far as the Jabbok and the Jordan; therefore, return them peaceably now.”

NASB 1977
And the king of the sons of Ammon said to the messengers of Jephthah, “Because Israel took away my land when they came up from Egypt, from the Arnon as far as the Jabbok and the Jordan; therefore, return them peaceably now.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the king of the sons of Ammon said to the messengers of Jephthah, “Because Israel took away my land when they came up from Egypt, from the Arnon as far as the Jabbok and the Jordan; so now, return them peaceably.”

Amplified Bible
The Ammonites’ king replied to the messengers of Jephthah, “It is because Israel took away my land when they came up from Egypt, from the [river] Arnon as far as the Jabbok and [east of] the Jordan; so now, return those lands peaceably.”

Christian Standard Bible
The king of the Ammonites said to Jephthah’s messengers, “When Israel came from Egypt, they seized my land from the Arnon to the Jabbok and the Jordan. Now restore it peaceably.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The king of the Ammonites said to Jephthah’s messengers, “When Israel came from Egypt, they seized my land from the Arnon to the Jabbok and the Jordan. Now restore it peaceably.”

American Standard Version
And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when he came up out of Egypt, from the Arnon even unto the Jabbok, and unto the Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again peaceably.

Contemporary English Version
The king of Ammon replied, "Tell Jephthah that the land really belongs to me, all the way from the Arnon River in the south, to the Jabbok River in the north, and west to the Jordan River. When the Israelites came out of Egypt, they stole it. Tell Jephthah to return it to me, and there won't be any war."

English Revised Version
And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when he came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again peaceably.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The king of Ammon answered Jephthah's messengers, "When the people of Israel left Egypt, they took my land. It stretched from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River and the Jordan River. Now give it back peacefully."

Good News Translation
The king of Ammon answered Jephthah's messengers, "When the Israelites came out of Egypt, they took away my land from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River and the Jordan River. Now you must give it back peacefully."

International Standard Version
The king of the Ammonites answered the messengers of Jephthah, "We're here because Israel took away my land from the Arnon River as far as the Jabbok River and as far as the Jordan River when they came up from Egypt! So restore it as a gesture of good will."

Majority Standard Bible
The king of the Ammonites answered Jephthah’s messengers, “When Israel came up out of Egypt, they seized my land, from the Arnon to the Jabbok and all the way to the Jordan. Now, therefore, restore it peaceably.”

NET Bible
The Ammonite king said to Jephthah's messengers, "Because Israel stole my land when they came up from Egypt--from the Arnon River in the south to the Jabbok River in the north, and as far west as the Jordan. Now return it peaceably!"

New Heart English Bible
And the king of the people of Ammon answered the messengers of Jephthah, "Because Israel took away my land, when he came up out of Egypt, from the Arnon even to the Jabbok, and to the Jordan. Now therefore restore it peaceably, and I will depart."

Webster's Bible Translation
And the king of the children of Ammon answered to the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came out of Egypt, from Arnon even to Jabbok, and to Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again peaceably.

World English Bible
The king of the children of Ammon answered the messengers of Jephthah, “Because Israel took away my land when he came up out of Egypt, from the Arnon even to the Jabbok, and to the Jordan. Now therefore restore that territory again peaceably.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the king of the sons of Ammon says to the messengers of Jephthah, “Because Israel took my land in his coming up out of Egypt, from Arnon, and to the Jabbok, and to the Jordan; and now, restore them in peace.”

Young's Literal Translation
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.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And the king of the sons of Ammon will say to the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took my land in his coming up out of Egypt, from Arnon even to Jabbok, and even to Jordan: and now turn them back in peace.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he answered them: Because Israel took away my land when he came up out of Egypt, from the confines of the Arnon unto the Jaboc and the Jordan: now therefore restore the same peaceably to me.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he responded to them, “It is because Israel took my land, when he ascended from Egypt, from the parts of Arnon, as far as the Jabbok and the Jordan. Now therefore, restore these to me with peace.”

New American Bible
The king of the Ammonites answered the messengers of Jephthah, “Israel took away my land from the Arnon to the Jabbok and the Jordan when they came up from Egypt. Now restore it peaceably.”

New Revised Standard Version
The king of the Ammonites answered the messengers of Jephthah, “Because Israel, on coming from Egypt, took away my land from the Arnon to the Jabbok and to the Jordan; now therefore restore it peaceably.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the king of the children of Ammon said to the messengers of Jephthah, Because the children of Israel took away my land when they came up out of the land of Egypt from Arnon even to Jabbok and to the Jordan, now therefore restore these lands to me peaceably.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the King of the children of Amon said to the Messengers of Naphthakh: “Because the sons of Israel took my lands when they were going up from the land of Egypt from Arnon and unto Abaq, and unto the Jordan. Now return them to me in peace”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah: 'Because Israel took away my land, when he came up out of Egypt, from the Arnon even unto the Jabbok, and unto the Jordan; now therefore restore those cities peaceably.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the king of the children of Ammon said to the messengers of Jephthae, Because Israel took my land when he went up out of Egypt, from Arnon to Jaboc, and to Jordan: now then return them peaceably and I will depart.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jephthah Delivers Israel
12Then Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites, saying, “What do you have against me that you have come to fight against my land?” 13The king of the Ammonites answered Jephthah’s messengers, “When Israel came up out of Egypt, they seized my land, from the Arnon to the Jabbok and all the way to the Jordan. Now, therefore, restore it peaceably.” 14Jephthah again sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites…

Cross References
Numbers 21:21-24
Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, / “Let us pass through your land. We will not turn aside into any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will stay on the King’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.” / But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. Instead, he gathered his whole army and went out to confront Israel in the wilderness. When he came to Jahaz, he fought against Israel. ...

Deuteronomy 2:9
Then the LORD said to me, “Do not harass the Moabites or provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land, because I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as their possession.”

Deuteronomy 2:19
But when you get close to the Ammonites, do not harass them or provoke them, for I will not give you any of the land of the Ammonites. I have given it to the descendants of Lot as their possession.”

Deuteronomy 2:24-25
“Arise, set out, and cross the Arnon Valley. See, I have delivered into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Begin to take possession of it and engage him in battle. / This very day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon all the nations under heaven. They will hear the reports of you and tremble in anguish because of you.”

Deuteronomy 2:31-36
Then the LORD said to me, “See, I have begun to deliver Sihon and his land over to you. Now begin to conquer and possess his land.” / So Sihon and his whole army came out for battle against us at Jahaz. / And the LORD our God delivered him over to us, and we defeated him and his sons and his whole army. ...

Joshua 2:10
For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites across the Jordan, whom you devoted to destruction.

Joshua 9:9-10
“Your servants have come from a very distant land,” they replied, “because of the fame of the LORD your God. For we have heard the reports about Him: all that He did in Egypt, / and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth.

Joshua 11:16-17
So Joshua took this entire region: the hill country, all the Negev, all the land of Goshen, the western foothills, the Arabah, and the mountains of Israel and their foothills, / from Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir, as far as Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon at the foot of Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings and struck them down, putting them to death.

Joshua 12:1-6
Now these are the kings of the land whom the Israelites struck down and whose lands they took beyond the Jordan to the east, from the Arnon Valley to Mount Hermon, including all the Arabah eastward: / Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon. He ruled from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along the middle of the valley, up to the Jabbok River (the border of the Ammonites), that is, half of Gilead, / as well as the Arabah east of the Sea of Chinnereth to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea), eastward through Beth-jeshimoth, and southward below the slopes of Pisgah. ...

2 Kings 10:32-33
In those days the LORD began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael defeated the Israelites throughout their territory / from the Jordan eastward through all the land of Gilead (the region of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh), and from Aroer by the Arnon Valley through Gilead to Bashan.

Nehemiah 9:22
You gave them kingdoms and peoples and allotted to them every corner of the land. So they took the land of Sihon king of Heshbon and of Og king of Bashan.

Psalm 135:10-12
He struck down many nations and slaughtered mighty kings: / Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the kings of Canaan. / He gave their land as an inheritance, as a heritage to His people Israel.

Psalm 136:17-22
He struck down great kings His loving devotion endures forever. / and slaughtered mighty kings—His loving devotion endures forever. / Sihon king of the Amorites His loving devotion endures forever. ...

Acts 7:45
And our fathers who received it brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations God drove out before them. It remained until the time of David,

Acts 13:19
And having vanquished seven nations in Canaan, He gave their land to His people as an inheritance.


Treasury of Scripture

And the king of the children of Ammon answered to the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even to Jabbok, and to Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again peaceably.

Because Israel

Numbers 21:24-26
And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon: for the border of the children of Ammon was strong…

Proverbs 19:5,9
A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape…

from Arnon.

Genesis 32:22
And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.

Deuteronomy 2:37
Only unto the land of the children of Ammon thou camest not, nor unto any place of the river Jabbok, nor unto the cities in the mountains, nor unto whatsoever the LORD our God forbad us.

Deuteronomy 3:16
And unto the Reubenites and unto the Gadites I gave from Gilead even unto the river Arnon half the valley, and the border even unto the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon;

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Judges 11
1. The covenant between Jephthah and the Gileadites, that he should lead
12. The treaty of peace between him and the Ammonites is in vain
29. Jephthah's vow
32. His conquest of the Ammonites
34. He performs his vow on his daughter.














The king of the Ammonites
The Ammonites were descendants of Lot, Abraham's nephew, and thus had a distant kinship with the Israelites. Historically, the Ammonites occupied a region east of the Jordan River. Their king's claim reflects a long-standing territorial dispute. The Hebrew term for "king" here is "melek," indicating a ruler with authority over a specific region. This highlights the political dynamics and the ancient Near Eastern practice of kingship, where territorial claims were often contested.

answered Jephthah’s messengers
Jephthah, a judge of Israel, was chosen to lead against the Ammonites. His sending of messengers indicates a diplomatic approach before engaging in warfare, reflecting a common practice in ancient times to seek peaceful resolutions. The Hebrew root for "answered" is "anah," which can imply a response or a retort, suggesting the king's defensive stance in the dialogue.

When Israel came up out of Egypt
This phrase refers to the Exodus, a foundational event in Israelite history when God delivered the Israelites from slavery. The phrase underscores the historical context of the Israelites' journey to the Promised Land. The Hebrew word for "came up" is "alah," often used to describe ascension or movement to a higher place, symbolizing the spiritual and physical journey of the Israelites.

they seized my land
The claim of land seizure is central to the Ammonite king's grievance. The Hebrew word for "seized" is "laqach," meaning to take or capture. This reflects the historical conflicts over land in the ancient Near East, where territorial boundaries were often fluid and contested. The Ammonites' claim suggests a perceived historical injustice that they sought to rectify.

from the Arnon to the Jabbok
The Arnon and Jabbok are rivers that served as geographical markers in the region. The Arnon River marked the southern boundary of the territory, while the Jabbok was to the north. These rivers were significant in defining the land of Gilead, which was part of the territory in dispute. The mention of these rivers provides a clear geographical context for the territorial claims.

all the way to the Jordan
The Jordan River was a major geographical and symbolic boundary for the Israelites. It represented the border of the Promised Land. The phrase "all the way" emphasizes the extent of the land claimed by the Ammonites, suggesting a significant portion of territory that they believed was unjustly taken.

Now, therefore, restore it peaceably
The demand for peaceful restoration indicates a preference for negotiation over conflict. The Hebrew root for "restore" is "shuv," meaning to return or bring back. This reflects the king's desire for a resolution without warfare, aligning with the biblical principle of seeking peace. The appeal for a peaceful solution highlights the potential for reconciliation and the importance of addressing historical grievances through dialogue.

(13) Because Israel took away my land.--This was a very plausible plea, but was not in accordance with facts. The Israelites had been distinctly forbidden to war against the Moabites and Ammonites (Deuteronomy 2:9; Deuteronomy 2:19); but when Sibon, king of the Amorites, had refused them permission to pass peaceably through his land, and had even come out to battle against them, they had defeated him and seized his territory. It was quite true that a large district in this territory had originally belonged to Moab and Ammon, and had been wrested from them by Sihon (Numbers 21:21-30; Joshua 12:2; Joshua 12:5); but that was a question with which the Israelites had nothing to do, and it was absurd to expect that they would shed their blood to win settlements for the sole purpose of restoring them to nations which regarded them with the deadliest enmity.

From Arnon even unto Jabbok.--The space occupied by Gad and Reuben. The Arnon ("noisy" ) is now the Wady Modjeb. It was the southern boundary of Reuben, and its deep rocky ravine separated that tribe from Moab. The Jabbok ("pouring out") was originally the "border of the children of Ammon" (Deuteronomy 3:16; Numbers 21:24). It is nearly midway between the Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee, and is now called the Wady Zurka. . . .

Verse 13. - And the king, etc. The Ammonite king stated his ground of quarrel very distinctly. He claimed the land between the Amen and the Jabbok as Ammonitish or Moabitish territory, and demanded its surrender as the only condition of peace. It appears from Joshua 13:25 that part of the land of the tribe of Gad, that, namely, "on the western side of the upper Jabbok," had once belonged to the Ammonites, but had been conquered by the Amorites, from whom Israel took it, together with that which had formerly belonged to the Moabites.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The king
מֶ֨לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of the Ammonites
בְּנֵי־ (bə·nê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

answered
וַיֹּאמֶר֩ (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

Jephthah’s
יִפְתָּ֗ח (yip̄·tāḥ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3316: Jephthah -- 'He opens', a Gileadite, also a city of Judah

messengers,
מַלְאֲכֵ֣י (mal·’ă·ḵê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 4397: A messenger, of God, an angel

“When Israel
יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

came up
בַּעֲלוֹת֣וֹ (ba·‘ă·lō·w·ṯōw)
Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively

out of Egypt,
מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם (mim·miṣ·ra·yim)
Preposition-m | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa

they seized
לָקַ֨ח (lā·qaḥ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

my land,
אַרְצִי֙ (’ar·ṣî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

from the Arnon
מֵאַרְנ֥וֹן (mê·’ar·nō·wn)
Preposition-m | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 769: Arnon -- 'a roaring stream', a wadi and stream in Moab

to
וְעַד־ (wə·‘aḏ-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

the Jabbok
הַיַּבֹּ֖ק (hay·yab·bōq)
Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 2999: Jabbok -- a river East of the Jordan

and all the way
וְעַד־ (wə·‘aḏ-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

to the Jordan.
הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן (hay·yar·dên)
Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3383: Jordan -- the principal river of Palestine

Now, therefore,
וְעַתָּ֕ה (wə·‘at·tāh)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 6258: At this time

restore
הָשִׁ֥יבָה (hā·šî·ḇāh)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

it
אֶתְהֶ֖ן (’eṯ·hen)
Direct object marker | third person feminine plural
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

peaceably.”
בְּשָׁלֽוֹם׃ (bə·šā·lō·wm)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7965: Safe, well, happy, friendly, welfare, health, prosperity, peace


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OT History: Judges 11:13 The king of the children of Ammon (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 11:12
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