Judges 11:12 - Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the children of Ammon, saying, “What have you to do with me, that you have come to me to fight against my land?”

Generated Verse: Judges 11:12

What does "Judges 11:12" mean?


This verse, Judges 11:12, is a formal diplomatic inquiry from Jephthah to the Ammonite king. It essentially means:

Jephthah, a leader of Israel, initiated contact with the Ammonite king through messengers. This shows Jephthah tried to resolve the conflict peacefully before resorting to violence.
"What have you to do with me?" This is a direct challenge. Jephthah is asking the Ammonite king to explain the basis of their conflict. He's questioning their authority or justification to attack.
"that you have come to me to fight against my land?" This makes it clear that the Ammonites have taken hostile actions, entering Israelite territory to fight.

In summary, Jephthah is asking the Ammonite king why they are attacking Israel. It's a challenge for the Ammonites to state their grievances or claims to justify their aggression. It's important to remember that this is a standard protocol for engaging in war. Jephthah is trying to establish the other side's reason for fighting as well as his own.

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