Judges 11:14-24

14 per quos rursum mandavit Iepthae et imperavit eis ut dicerent regi Ammon

15 haec dicit Iepthae non tulit Israhel terram Moab nec terram filiorum Ammon

16 sed quando de Aegypto conscenderunt ambulavit per solitudinem usque ad mare Rubrum et venit in Cades

17 misitque nuntios ad regem Edom dicens dimitte ut transeam per terram tuam qui noluit adquiescere precibus eius misit quoque et ad regem Moab qui et ipse transitum praebere contempsit mansit itaque in Cades

18 et circuivit ex latere terram Edom et terram Moab venitque contra orientalem plagam terrae Moab et castrametatus est trans Arnon nec voluit intrare terminos Moab Arnon quippe confinium est terrae Moab

19 misit itaque Israhel nuntios ad Seon regem Amorreorum qui habitabat in Esebon et dixerunt ei dimitte ut transeam per terram tuam usque ad fluvium

20 qui et ipse Israhel verba despiciens non dimisit eum transire per terminos suos sed infinita multitudine congregata egressus est contra eum in Iassa et fortiter resistebat

21 tradiditque eum Dominus in manu Israhel cum omni exercitu suo qui percussit eum et possedit omnem terram Amorrei habitatoris regionis illius

22 et universos fines eius de Arnon usque Iaboc et de solitudine usque ad Iordanem

23 Dominus ergo Deus Israhel subvertit Amorreum pugnante contra illum populo suo Israhel et tu nunc vis possidere terram eius

24 nonne ea quae possedit Chamos deus tuus tibi iure debentur quae autem Dominus Deus noster victor obtinuit in nostram cedent possessionem

Judges 11:14-24 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 11

This chapter gives an account of another judge of Israel, Jephthah, of his descent and character, Jud 11:1-3 of the call the elders of Gilead gave him to be their captain general, and lead out their forces against the Ammonites, and the agreement he made with them, Jud 11:4-11 of the message he sent to the children of Ammon, which brought on a dispute between him and them about the land Israel possessed on that side Jordan the Ammonites claimed; Israel's right to which Jephthah defended, and made it clearly to appear, hoping thereby to put an end to the quarrel without shedding of blood, Jud 11:12-27 but the children of Ammon not attending to what he said, he prepared to give them battle, and previous to it he made a vow, and then set forward and fought them, and got the victory over them, Jud 11:28-33 and the chapter concludes with the difficulties Jephthah was embarrassed with upon his return home, on account of his vow, and the performance of it, Jud 11:34-40.