Judges 11:27

*“I therefore have not sinned against you, but you are doing me wrong by making war against me; may the LORD, the Judge, judge today between the sons of Israel and the sons of Ammon.”* (Judges 11:27 NASB-95)

This verse finds Jephthah in the midst of a tense conflict, addressing the Ammonites over disputed territory east of the Jordan River. Jephthah was a judge of Israel (around 1100 BC), raised up by God to deliver His people from oppression, much like other figures in this period of Israel’s history (Judges 2:16). After tracing the historical events by which Israel acquired land from the Amorites—lands which were later claimed by the Ammonites—Jephthah asserts that Israel had not acted unjustly. He says, *“I therefore have not sinned against you...”* to clarify that any aggression on the Ammonite side would be wrongdoing (Judges 11:27). Moreover, by invoking *“may the LORD, the Judge,”* he points out that God Himself, the supreme Judge, must decide who is righteous in the matter. Jephthah’s words echo a recurring theme in Scripture that justice ultimately rests with the Sovereign LORD, who judges nations and individuals alike (Psalm 75:7; John 5:22). Jephthah passionately presents his case: he has attempted peaceful negotiation first, but if war is brought upon Israel, it is the Ammonites who are in the wrong.

The territory of the Ammonites lay east of the Jordan River, in the region of modern-day Jordan. Historically, the Ammonites descended from Lot—Abraham’s nephew—forming a people who often conflicted with Israel (Genesis 19:38; Judges 3:12-14). By Jephthah’s time, the dispute mainly revolved around the territory formerly held by the Amorites but now in Israel’s possession (Numbers 21:24-26; Deuteronomy 2:37). The Ammonites insisted Israel had taken the land improperly; Jephthah insisted that the LORD had delivered that land to His people, and that Israel would not relinquish it. So, Jephthah’s statement, *“you are doing me wrong by making war,”* frames the entire conflict as an unjust Ammonite aggression, one which only the divine Judge can fully settle.

Jephthah’s reliance on God’s just verdict also points toward the eventual need for a perfect, final Judge, a thread that runs through the Old Testament and is fully revealed in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10). His statement underscores the covenantal relationship between Israel and God, one in which Israel depends on the LORD’s guidance and intervention. It also reaffirms the biblical principle that God holds the scales of justice in every conflict, calling for the Ammonites, the Israelites, and all nations to reckon with His supreme authority.

Israel’s history shows that cycles of disobedience bring oppression, followed by sincere cries for deliverance and eventual rescue through judges like Jephthah (Judges 2:11-19). Here, despite Jephthah’s own imperfect background—he was expelled by his half-brothers (Judges 11:1-3)—God uses him to mount a defense for Israel before an enemy nation, stressing the just claim Israel has to the land and pointing to the truly righteous Judge who can and will determine the outcome.

Peaceful attempts at resolution are the first step, but if there is wrongdoing, Jephthah commits the matter to “the LORD, the Judge” to decide, embodying a heart that affirms God’s ultimate sovereignty over all worldly disputes. This underscores the abiding scriptural theme that conflicts in the physical realm often reflect deeper spiritual realities, calling for trust in God who sees motives and brings justice in His time.

Lower-level summary: Jephthah declares to the Ammonites that Israel has committed no offense regarding the land; therefore, any act of war is unjust. He calls on God, the Judge, to determine the rightful claim between Israel and Ammon.

Short one-sentence brief of the summary: Jephthah insists Israel is innocent and entrusts their land dispute with the Ammonites to the Lord’s perfect justice.