KJV ORIGINAL
And now art thou any thing better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them,
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
And now, are you any better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever fight against Israel, or did he ever go to war against them?
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
Jephthah is challenging the Ammonite king by asking if he thinks he's greater than a previous king who didn't dare fight Israel directly.
📚 Historical Context
Jephthah is responding to the Ammonite king's territorial claims by referencing Balak, a Moabite king from Numbers 22-24 who hired the prophet Balaam to curse Israel instead of fighting them directly. This shows Jephthah's knowledge of Israel's history and his diplomatic skill in using precedent to argue Israel's right to the disputed land.
Ask the AI Assistant
Have a question about this chapter or verse? Ask below for a clear explanation.
Share or Save