Judges 11:27

I have not sinned against you, but you have done me wrong by waging war against me. May the LORD, the Judge, decide today between the Israelites and the Ammonites.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jephthah addresses the king of Ammon, responding to territorial demands after three centuries of Israelite occupation. The speech occurs during a diplomatic exchange immediately preceding armed conflict.

The words — The Hebrew חָטָ֣אתִי (cha.Ta.ti) literally means "I have sinned," while עֹשׂ֥ה רָעָ֖ה ('o.Seh ra.'Ah) translates to "doing evil" or "waging war." Jephthah uses these terms to state directly that Israel bears no guilt and that the Ammonite campaign is unprovoked aggression.

The thread — This appeal to divine judgment parallels Genesis 16:5, where Sarai invokes wrong upon Abram, and 1 Samuel 24:12, where David requests the LORD to judge between himself and Saul. The pattern consistently positions human conflict under God’s authority to arbitrate.

Why it lands — The verse requires readers to acknowledge that territorial and political disputes belong to divine arbitration rather than human retaliation. It frames the situation as a legal case where God’s verdict, not military escalation, determines the outcome.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְאָֽנֹכִי֙ve./'a.no.Khiand/ I לֹֽא־lo'-not חָטָ֣אתִיcha.Ta.tiI have sinnedלָ֔ךְLa/khto <the>/ youוְאַתָּ֞הve./'a.Tahand/ you עֹשֶׂ֥ה'o.Seh[are] doing אִתִּ֛י'i.T/iwith/ me רָעָ֖הra.'Ahevil לְהִלָּ֣חֶםle./hi.La.chemby/ waging warבִּ֑יB/iagainst <the>/ meיִשְׁפֹּ֨טyish.Potmay he judge יְהוָ֤הYah.wehYahweh הַשֹּׁפֵט֙ha./sho.Fetthe/ judge הַיּ֔וֹםhai./Yomthis/ day בֵּ֚יןbeinbetween בְּנֵ֣יbe.Nei[the] people of יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElIsrael וּבֵ֖יןu./Veinand/ between בְּנֵ֥יbe.Nei[the] people of עַמּֽוֹן׃a.MonAmmon

King James Version

Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me: the Lord the Judge be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.

Cross-references

Genesis 16:5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be upon you! I delivered my servant into your arms, and ever since she saw that she was pregnant, she has treated me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me.”
Genesis 18:25 Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”
1 Samuel 24:12 May the LORD judge between you and me, and may the LORD take vengeance on you, but my hand will never be against you.
1 Samuel 24:15 May the LORD be our judge and decide between you and me. May He take notice and plead my case and deliver me from your hand.”
Genesis 31:53 May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.
Romans 14:10 Why, then, do you judge your brother? Or why do you belittle your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.
Psalms 75:7 but it is God who judges; He brings down one and exalts another.
Psalms 82:8 Arise, O God, judge the earth, for all the nations are Your inheritance.
Psalms 94:2 Rise up, O Judge of the earth; render a reward to the proud.
Psalms 98:9 before the LORD, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity.

Places named

Ammon