Judges 11:27

27 Therefore not I do sin against thee, but thou doest evil against me, and bringest in battles not just to me; the Lord, (the) judge of this day, deem betwixt the sons of Israel and betwixt the sons of Ammon. (And so I do not sin against thee, but thou doest evil against me, and bringest in battles not just, or fair, to me; the Lord is the judge, and he shall judge this very day between the Israelites and the Ammonites.)

Judges 11:27 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 11:27

Wherefore I have not sinned against thee
Had done him no injury, not wronged him of anything, nor had taken away any part of his country from him; this Jephthah said in the name of all Israel, of whom he was governor:

but thou doest me wrong to war against me;
meaning that he had no just cause to commence a war against Israel, but acted an injurious part; and seeing things could not be adjusted in an amicable way, but must be decided by the sword, he leaves the affair with the Lord, and appeals to him:

the Lord the Judge;
the Judge of the whole earth, the omniscient God, that knows all things, the right and wrong of every cause, on which side truth and justice lie:

be Judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of
Ammon;
not that he expected a decision of the controversy between them would be made that precise and exact day; but that from henceforward the Lord would appear, by giving success to that party which was in the right in this contest.

Judges 11:27 In-Context

25 but in hap thou art better than Balak, the son of Zippor, king of Moab, either thou mayest say, that Balak strived against Israel, and fought against him, (but perhaps thou art better than Balak, the son of Zippor, the king of Moab, or thou mayest say, that Balak contended against Israel, and fought against them,)
26 when Israel dwelled in Heshbon, and in towns thereof, and in Aroer, and in towns thereof, and in all cities beyond (the) Jordan, by three hundred years. Why in so much time assayed ye nothing on this asking again? (when Israel lived in Heshbon, and its towns, and in Aroer, and its towns, and in all the cities on the eastern side of the Jordan River, for three hundred years. Why have ye done nothing to try to take them back in all this time?)
27 Therefore not I do sin against thee, but thou doest evil against me, and bringest in battles not just to me; the Lord, (the) judge of this day, deem betwixt the sons of Israel and betwixt the sons of Ammon. (And so I do not sin against thee, but thou doest evil against me, and bringest in battles not just, or fair, to me; the Lord is the judge, and he shall judge this very day between the Israelites and the Ammonites.)
28 And the king of the sons of Ammon would not assent to the words of Jephthah, which he sent by the messengers.
29 Therefore the spirit of the Lord was made upon Jephthah, and he compassed Gilead, and Manasseh, Mizpeh and Gilead (and then back to Mizpeh of Gilead); and he passed (over) from thence to the sons of Ammon,
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.