Judges 11:15

15 “This is what Jephthah says: Israel did not steal any land from Moab or Ammon.

Judges 11:15 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 11:15

And said unto him
By his messengers:

thus saith Jephthah;
in a majestic style, as governor of Israel:

Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of
Ammon;
they were charged not to take any, nor did they take any that belonged to any of these countries, or that was then in the possession of either of them, ( Deuteronomy 2:9 Deuteronomy 2:19 ) what they did take was in the hands of Sihon and Og, and they had obtained it by conquest, and so no more belonging to either of these.

Judges 11:15 In-Context

13 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.”

14 Jephthah sent this message back to the Ammonite king:

15 “This is what Jephthah says: Israel did not steal any land from Moab or Ammon.

16 When the people of Israel arrived at Kadesh on their journey from Egypt after crossing the Red Sea,

17 they sent messengers to the king of Edom asking for permission to pass through his land. But their request was denied. Then they asked the king of Moab for similar permission, but he wouldn’t let them pass through either. So the people of Israel stayed in Kadesh.