This verse from Judges 11:16 is a brief historical summary used as part of Jephthah's argument with the Ammonites. To understand its meaning, we need to break it down:
"But when they came up from Egypt..." This refers to the Exodus, the central event in Israelite history where God delivered them from slavery in Egypt.
"...and Israel went through the wilderness to the Red Sea..." After leaving Egypt, the Israelites wandered in the Sinai wilderness for 40 years. The "Red Sea" here is likely the Sea of Reeds, as some translations suggest, which they crossed miraculously escaping the Egyptian army.
"...and came to Kadesh;" Kadesh-Barnea was a crucial location in the wilderness wanderings. It served as a central base for a significant period and was the site from which spies were sent to scout the Promised Land (Canaan). It also marked a point of rebellion and a turning point in their journey.
Significance in Jephthah's Argument:
Jephthah is using this historical recital to make a case that the land the Ammonites are claiming was not taken from them by the Israelites. He's building a timeline to demonstrate where the Israelites were and what they did after leaving Egypt. By mentioning Kadesh, he's setting the stage to describe the Israelites' subsequent movements and their interactions with other nations other than Ammon that may have inhabited the land now claimed by the Ammonites. He wants to show that their claim is baseless because the land was not taken from Ammon but from others whom the Israelite had conquered.
In summary, the verse is a concise historical anchor, referencing key events in Israel's formative period. It serves as the foundation for Jephthah's legal and historical argument against the Ammonites' land claims.
This verse from Judges 11:16 is a brief historical summary used as part of Jephthah's argument with the Ammonites. To understand its meaning, we need to break it down:
"But when they came up from Egypt..." This refers to the Exodus, the central event in Israelite history where God delivered them from slavery in Egypt.
"...and Israel went through the wilderness to the Red Sea..." After leaving Egypt, the Israelites wandered in the Sinai wilderness for 40 years. The "Red Sea" here is likely the Sea of Reeds, as some translations suggest, which they crossed miraculously escaping the Egyptian army.
"...and came to Kadesh;" Kadesh-Barnea was a crucial location in the wilderness wanderings. It served as a central base for a significant period and was the site from which spies were sent to scout the Promised Land (Canaan). It also marked a point of rebellion and a turning point in their journey.
Significance in Jephthah's Argument:
Jephthah is using this historical recital to make a case that the land the Ammonites are claiming was not taken from them by the Israelites. He's building a timeline to demonstrate where the Israelites were and what they did after leaving Egypt. By mentioning Kadesh, he's setting the stage to describe the Israelites' subsequent movements and their interactions with other nations other than Ammon that may have inhabited the land now claimed by the Ammonites. He wants to show that their claim is baseless because the land was not taken from Ammon but from others whom the Israelite had conquered.
In summary, the verse is a concise historical anchor, referencing key events in Israel's formative period. It serves as the foundation for Jephthah's legal and historical argument against the Ammonites' land claims.