In his reply the Ammonite king justifies his attack on Israel.

And the king of the Ammonites answered the messengers of Jephthah: This episode is marked by the repetition of many full noun phrases to refer to the participants (see verse 11.9). These phrases can be reduced by rendering this clause as “The king of Ammon replied” or “The king answered them.”

Because Israel on coming from Egypt took away my land … is literally “Because [or, Indeed] Israel took my land when he came up from Egypt….” This sentence begins with the Hebrew particle ki, which can introduce a reason sometimes, so Revised Standard Version renders it Because. However, it could also be an emphatic marker, so Contemporary English Version says “really.” On coming from Egypt refers to the time when Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt (see verse 2.1). Coming renders the Hebrew verb meaning “go up” (ʿalah), which has the sense of movement here. It may be used here as a play on words, since it is often used with the meaning of “attack” in this book (see verse 1.1). However any appropriate verb can be used, for example, we might say “when they came out of Egypt.” Took away my land is a forceful accusation and the main reason that the Ammonites are waging war against Israel at this time. The king is referring to the incident in Num 21.24-25, when the Israelites captured all the Amorite cities and occupied them. So the king seems to be correct in his accusation. Took away renders the Hebrew verb meaning “take.” Here it may be translated “captured” or even “stole.” The king uses the same phrase as Jephthah by saying my land. If possible, the same expression should be used here as in verse 11.12. In some languages a focus construction might be appropriate, for example, “Because it is my land that Israel captured….”

From the Arnon to the Jabbok and to the Jordan: These three rivers formed the boundaries of the former Amorite territory, later held by the Ammonites. The Arnon River is located about half way down the eastern side of the Dead Sea, flowing into it from the eastern desert. It marked the southern edge of Ammonite territory. The Jabbok River flows into the Jordan River from the east, roughly halfway between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. This river formed the Ammonites’ northern boundary. The Jordan River was their western boundary. The king speaks from his own viewpoint, beginning from the east and going west to the Jordan River. These place names can be described as “rivers” if need be to help the reader.

Now therefore restore it peaceably: The king wants Jephthah to give back the land without a fight. New Living Translation says “Now then, give back the land peaceably.” Now therefore is literally “And now.” Two keywords are used here that most often characterize events and high points in Israel’s history, both in this book and throughout the Old Testament: the Hebrew verb shuv rendered restore (see verse 11.8-9) and the word shalom translated peaceably (see verse 4.17). Thus the narrator seems to lend an ironic note to this passage. It renders a plural pronoun in Hebrew, which refers to the territories the king feels are his. We could say “the land,” “my land,” or “our territory.” This is the height of diplomacy, as the king appears to be speaking of peace, when in reality he is threatening war. Contemporary English Version makes this explicit by saying “Tell Jephthah to return it to me, and there won’t be any war.”

Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .