Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he sent him.
However, the king of the Ammonites did not listen to the message that Jephthah sent him.
The writer is showing that despite Jephthah's reasonable diplomatic efforts, the Ammonite king refused to listen and chose conflict over peace.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Judges, Israel was frequently oppressed by neighboring nations like the Ammonites during a time of weak leadership and cycles of rebellion against God. Jephthah, a warrior from Gilead, was chosen as a judge and sent messengers to the king of Ammon to diplomatically resolve a land dispute by reminding him of Israel's historical claims based on God's promises. However, the king's refusal to listen highlighted the ongoing tensions and set the stage for further conflict in the narrative.
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