Judges 11 · Verse 12

Judges 11:12

And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight in my land?
Judges 11:12, King James Version

Judges 11:12 in other translations

BSBThen Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites, saying, “What do you have against me that you have come to fight against my land?”
WEBJephthah sent messengers to the king of the children of Ammon, saying, “What do you have to do with me, that you have come to me to fight against my land?”
ASVAnd Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come unto me to fight against my land?
YLTAnd Jephthah sendeth messengers unto the king of the Bene-Ammon, saying, ‘What--to me and to thee, that thou hast come in unto me, to fight in my land.'
DARBYAnd Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight against my land?
BBEThen Jephthah sent men to the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What have you against me that you have come to make war against my land?
WebsterAnd Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou hast come against me to fight in my land?

What does Judges 11:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Judges 11:12-28

Jud 11:12-28. His Embassy to the King of Ammon.

12-28. Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon--This first act in his judicial capacity reflects the highest credit on his character for prudence and moderation, justice and humanity. The bravest officers have always been averse to war; so Jephthah, whose courage was indisputable, resolved not only to make it clearly appear that hostilities were forced upon him, but to try measures for avoiding, if possible, an appeal to arms: and in pursuing such a course he was acting as became a leader in Israel (De 20:10-18).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 Jepthah sent messengers - He wished the Ammonites to explain their own motives for undertaking a war against Israel; as then the justice of his cause would appear more forcibly to the people.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Judges 11:12-28
One instance of the honour and respect we owe to God, as our God, is, rightly to employ what he gives us to possess. Receive it from him, use it for him, and part with it when he calls for it. The whole of this message shows that Jephthah was well acquainted with the books of Moses. His argument was clear, and his demand reasonable. Those who possess the most courageous faith, will be the most disposed for peace, and the readiest to make advances to obtain; but rapacity and ambition often cloak their designs under a plea of equity, and render peaceful endeavours of no avail.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Judges 11:12 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּשְׁלַ֤חvai.yish.Lachand he sentH7971
יִפְתָּח֙yif.TachJephthahH3316
מַלְאָכִ֔יםmal.'a.KhimmessengersH4397
אֶל\־'el-toH413
מֶ֥לֶךְMe.lekh[the] king ofH4428
בְּנֵֽי\־be.nei-[the] people ofH1121
עַמּ֖וֹןa.MonAmmonH5983
לֵאמֹ֑רle.Mor<to> sayingH559
מַה\־mah-what?H4100
לִּ֣יli[is] to me
וָלָ֔ךְva.Lakhand to <the> you
כִּֽי\־ki-thatH3588
בָ֥אתָVa.tayou have comeH935
אֵלַ֖י'e.Laito meH413
לְהִלָּחֵ֥םle.hi.la.Chemto wage warH3898
בְּאַרְצִֽי\׃be.'ar.Tziagainst land myH776

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Judges 11:12

  • Matthew 18:15-16

    Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

  • Proverbs 25:8-9

    Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame. Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:

  • Deuteronomy 2:26

    And I sent messengers out of the wilderness of Kedemoth unto Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, saying,

  • Numbers 20:14

    And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us:

  • 2 Kings 14:8-12

    Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face. And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle. Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thine heart hath lifted thee up: glory of this, and tarry at home: for why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee? But Amaziah would not hear. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth–shemesh, which belongeth to Judah. …

  • Numbers 21:21

    And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, saying,

  • Deuteronomy 20:10-11

    When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it. And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
sent messengers.In this Jephthah acted in accordance with the law of Moses; and hence the justice of his cause would appear more forcibly to the people.
Nu 20:14; 21:21; De 2:26; 20:10,11; Pr 25:8,9; Mt 18:15,16
What hast.
2Ki 14:8-12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Judges 11:11

    Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the Lord in Mizpeh.

  • Judges 11:12

    And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight in my land?

  • Judges 11:13

    And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again peaceably.

Read all of Judges 11

Judges 11:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y envió Jephté embajadores al rey de los Ammonitas, diciendo: ¿Qué tienes tú conmigo que has venido á mí para hacer guerra en mi tierra?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Jephthé envoya des messagers au roi des fils d’Ammon, disant: Qu’y a-t-il entre moi et toi, que tu viennes contre moi pour faire la guerre à mon pays?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Jephtha sandte Boten an den König der Kinder Ammon und ließ ihm sagen: Was haben wir miteinander zu schaffen, daß du gegen mich gekommen bist, mein Land zu bekriegen?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et misit nuntios ad regem filiorum Ammon, qui ex persona sua dicerent: Quid mihi et tibi est, quia venisti contra me, ut vastares terram meam?