Judges 11:28 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But the king of the Ammonites did not listen to the words of Jephthah that he sent to him.

NIV: The king of Ammon, however, paid no attention to the message Jephthah sent him.

NASB: But the king of the sons of Ammon disregarded the message which Jephthah sent him.

CSB: But the king of the Ammonites would not listen to Jephthah's message that he sent him.

NLT: But the king of Ammon paid no attention to Jephthah’s message.

KJV: Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he sent him.

NKJV: However, the king of the people of Ammon did not heed the words which Jephthah sent him.

The king of Ammon has been thoroughly refuted. He claimed to be attacking Gilead to regain territory lost to Israel during the time of Moses (Judges 11:13). Jephthah's responses came in several categories. Historically, the Ammonites never possessed the land at all (Judges 11:18–19, 22–23). Theologically, God gave the land to Israel when they were attacked by the resident Amorites (Judges 11:15–17, 20–21, 24). Personally, greater kings than Ammon's current ruler knew not to go to war for this land (Judges 11:25). Chronologically, it's been centuries since Israel arrived and no attempt has been made to retake the region (Judges 11:26).

The enemy ruler does not listen. It's entirely likely his claim was openly fabricated. He has already mounted his war effort (Judges 10:17–18; 11:4). Jephthah is the one who sent messages asking for a reason for the coming attack (Judges 11:12–13). The Ammonite king responded, but he doesn't feel the need for a good excuse. He believes he will simply defeat the people of Gilead and take their land, whether his cause is just or not.

From Ammon's perspective, there were reasons to confidently ignore Jephthah's appeal to the Lord's authority. The Ammonites and Philistines have been oppressing Israel for eighteen years at this point (Judges 10:6–8). They have no reason to assume Israel suddenly became strong enough to resist. Also, until very recently, the Israelites had been worshipping the same false pagan gods as everyone else. It's understandable that the king of Ammon would care little about a threat on behalf of a God whom the Israelites so willingly ignored.

For their part, Jephthah and the Israelites are hopeful the Lord would respond to their repentance, delivering them from their enemies once more. Confirmation of this will not come until after Jephthah has taken power and he is inspired to launch a counterattack (Judges 11:29).

Judges 11:12–28 is Jephthah's attempt to negotiate with the Ammonites. He exchanges messages with the king of Ammon, asking the reason for this war on their land. Jephthah corrects the king's response that Israel wrongly took the land from them during the time of Moses. He offers several forms of rebuttal. Jephthah notes that Ammon was never in control of Gilead. Instead, the Amorites attacked Israel and God have his people victory. Greater kings have not attempted to take the region away; it had not been disputed for centuries. However, the Ammonite king will not listen.

A man named Jephthah is driven away from his home in Gilead by jealous brothers. He settles in Tob, where he becomes warrior chief of a criminal band. Gilead's elders later recruit Jephthah to lead the fight against their Ammonite oppressors. After a failed negotiation attempt, Jephthah vows to make a burnt offering to the Lord of whatever comes to meet him if God gives him victory over the Ammonites. Israel thoroughly defeats Ammon, and Jephthah's daughter, his only child, greets him. Jephthah carries out his vow after his daughter grieves never marrying or having children.

Judges 11 answers the question raised at the end of the previous chapter: who could lead Gilead's fight against the Ammonites? The elders recruit Jephthah, a warrior driven away by his family in Gilead. Jephthah agrees to return and is appointed leader of Gilead. Jephthah raises an army and makes a foolish vow to the Lord in exchange for victory. Israel defeats Ammon, but Jephthah's vow costs him his only child, his daughter. His victory also creates civil strife in Israel, leading to a minor civil war.

The Book of Judges describes Israel's history from the death of Joshua to shortly before Israel's first king, Saul. Israel fails to complete God's command to purge the wicked Canaanites from the land (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; 9:4). This results in a centuries-long cycle where Israel falls into sin and is oppressed by local enemies. After each oppression, God sends a civil-military leader, labeled using a Hebrew word loosely translated into English as "judge." These appointed rescuers would free Israel from enemy control and govern for a certain time. After each judge's death, the cycle of sin and oppression begins again. This continues until the people of Israel choose a king, during the ministry of the prophet-and-judge Samuel (1 Samuel 1—7).