Judges 11:4

4 In those days the children of Ammon made war against Israel.

Judges 11:4 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 11:4

And it came to pass in process of time
Some time after Jephthah had been expelled from his father's house, and he was become famous for his martial genius, and military exploits; or at the close of the eighteen years' oppression of the children of Israel by the Ammonites, or some few days after the children of Israel were gathered together at Mizpeh, that the people and princes of Gilead were preparing for war with Ammon, and were thinking of a proper person to be their general:

that the children of Ammon made war against Israel;
not only passed over Jordan again, and encamped in Gilead, but began to attack them in some place or another, at least threatened them with it, and made motions towards it.

Judges 11:4 In-Context

2 Now Galaad had a wife of whom he had sons: who, after they were grown up, thrust out Jephte, saying: Thou canst not inherit in the house of our father, because thou art born of another mother.

3 Then he fled and avoided them, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered to him needy men and robbers, and they followed him as their prince.

4 In those days the children of Ammon made war against Israel.

5 And as they pressed hard upon them, the ancients of Galaad went to fetch Jephte out of the land of Tob to help them:

6 And they said to him: Come thou, and be our prince, and fight against the children of Ammon.