18 “Then they journeyed through the wilderness and (A)went around the land of Edom and the land of Moab and (B)arrived on the east side of the land of Moab and (C)camped on the other side of the Arnon. But they did not enter the territory of Moab, for the Arnon was the boundary of Moab. 19 (D)Israel then sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, king of Heshbon, and Israel said to him, ‘Please let us pass through your land to our country,’ 20 but Sihon did not trust Israel to pass through his territory, so Sihon gathered all his people together and encamped at Jahaz and fought with Israel. 21 And the Lord, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they defeated them. So Israel took possession of all the land of the Amorites, who inhabited that country. 22 And they took possession of all the territory of the Amorites from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the wilderness to the Jordan. 23 So then the Lord, the God of Israel, dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel; and are you to take possession of them? 24 Will you not possess what (E)Chemosh your god gives you to possess? (F)And all that the Lord our God has dispossessed before us, we will possess. 25 Now are you any better than (G)Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever contend against Israel, or did he ever go to war with them? 26 While Israel lived (H)in Heshbon and its villages, and (I)in Aroer and its villages, and in all the cities that are on the banks of the Arnon, 300 years, why did you not deliver them within that time? 27 I therefore have not sinned against you, and you do me wrong by making war on me. (J)The Lord, the Judge, decide this day between the people of Israel and the people of Ammon.” 28 But the king of the Ammonites did not listen to the words of Jephthah that he sent to him.

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18 “Next they traveled through the wilderness, skirted the lands of Edom(A) and Moab, passed along the eastern side(B) of the country of Moab, and camped on the other side of the Arnon.(C) They did not enter the territory of Moab, for the Arnon was its border.

19 “Then Israel sent messengers(D) to Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon,(E) and said to him, ‘Let us pass through your country to our own place.’(F) 20 Sihon, however, did not trust Israel[a] to pass through his territory. He mustered all his troops and encamped at Jahaz and fought with Israel.(G)

21 “Then the Lord, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and his whole army into Israel’s hands, and they defeated them. Israel took over all the land of the Amorites who lived in that country, 22 capturing all of it from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the desert to the Jordan.(H)

23 “Now since the Lord, the God of Israel, has driven the Amorites out before his people Israel, what right have you to take it over? 24 Will you not take what your god Chemosh(I) gives you? Likewise, whatever the Lord our God has given us,(J) we will possess. 25 Are you any better than Balak son of Zippor,(K) king of Moab? Did he ever quarrel with Israel or fight with them?(L) 26 For three hundred years Israel occupied(M) Heshbon, Aroer,(N) the surrounding settlements and all the towns along the Arnon. Why didn’t you retake them during that time? 27 I have not wronged you, but you are doing me wrong by waging war against me. Let the Lord, the Judge,(O) decide(P) the dispute this day between the Israelites and the Ammonites.(Q)

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

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Footnotes

  1. Judges 11:20 Or however, would not make an agreement for Israel