And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again peaceably.
The king of the Ammonites replied to Jephthah's messengers, 'Israel took my land when they came out of Egypt, all the territory from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River and to the Jordan River. Now give those lands back peacefully.'
The Ammonite king is claiming that Israel stole his people's land centuries earlier and demanding it be returned.
📚 Historical Context
This verse is set during the period of the Judges in ancient Israel, when Jephthah was a leader dealing with threats from neighboring tribes like the Ammonites. The king of Ammon is accusing Israel of seizing his territory during their exodus from Egypt, specifically the land from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River and up to the Jordan, which reflects the ongoing land disputes common in the ancient Near East as Israel settled in the Promised Land. This narrative highlights the historical tensions between Israel and its neighbors, as recorded in the Book of Judges.
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