Judges 11:23

Verse

Now since the LORD, the God of Israel, has driven out the Amorites from before His people Israel, should you now possess it?

American Standard Version (1901)

So now Jehovah, the God of Israel, hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess them?

Bible in Basic English

So now the Lord, the God of Israel, has taken away their land from the Amorites and given it to his people Israel; are you then to have it?

Free Bible Version

It was the Lord, the God of Israel, who drove out the Amorites before his people Israel, so why should you take it over?

Geneva Bible 1599

Nowe therefore the Lord God of Israel hath cast out the Amorites before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possesse it?

King James (Authorized) Version

So now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it?

Translation for Translators

‘It was Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis worship, who forced the Amor people-group to leave as the Israelis advanced. So do you now think that you can force the Israelis to leave [RHQ]?

Unlocked Literal Bible

So then Yahweh, the God of Israel, has driven out the Amorites before his people Israel, and should you now take possession of their land?

Noah Webster Bible

So now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldst thou possess it?

World English Bible

So now Yahweh, the God of Israel, has dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and should you possess them?

Young's Literal Translation

'And now, Jehovah, God of Israel, hath dispossessed the Amorite from the presence of His people Israel, and thou wouldest possess it!

Context

Jephthah Delivers Israel

²²seizing all the land from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the wilderness to the Jordan.²³Now since the LORD, the God of Israel, has driven out the Amorites from before His people Israel, should you now possess it?²⁴Do you not possess whatever your god Chemosh grants you? So also, we possess whatever the LORD our God has granted us.

Sermons

What Happened?

K.P. Yohannan

Summary

In this verse, Jephthah, a judge of Israel, is recounting the history of Israel to the Ammonite king. He explains that the Lord, the God of Israel, had given the Israelites possession of the land that the Ammonites were now claiming. Jephthah asserts that it was God who had driven out the previous inhabitants of the land before the Israelites. This verse highlights the belief that the victories and possessions of Israel were a result of God's divine intervention and faithfulness to His people.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess?.... Chemosh was the idol of the Moabites, see Num 21:29, which has led some to think, that the present king of Ammon was also king of Moab, and who insisted on that part of the country, which formerly belonged to Moab, to be delivered to him, as well as that which had belonged to Ammon. Now since the land, which they now inhabited, as well as what they had lost, they had taken away from others, Deu 2:10, having conquered them, and which they ascribed to the help and assistance they had from their idol, and possessed as his gift; Jephthah argues with them "ad hominem", from the less to the greater: so whomsoever the Lord our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess; we have surely as good a claim to what the Lord our God gives to us in a way of conquest, as you have, or can think you have, to what your idol, as you suppose, has given you: however, what we have got, or get this way, we are determined to possess, and keep possession of.