Judges 11:12

12 And he sent messengers to the king of the sons of Ammon, which messengers should say of his person (which messengers were to say for him), What is to me and to thee, for thou hast come against me to waste my land?

Judges 11:12 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 11:12

And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of
Ammon
Being now declared chief and sole governor of the tribes on the other side Jordan, he acted in character, and as such sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites, to know the reason of his invading the land that belonged to Israel, being desirous of adjusting things in an amicable way, and to prevent the shedding of blood; in which he behaved as a good man, and not at all inconsistent with a man of valour and courage:

saying, what hast thou to do with me;
to invade my land, and disturb my people, what have I or they done to give occasion for it?

that thou art come against me to fight in my land?
he speaks in the language of a governor, and as a man of spirit concerned for the good of his country, and determined to defend the rights and liberties of it.

Judges 11:12 In-Context

10 The which answered to him, The Lord himself, that heareth these things, is mediator and witness, that we shall fulfill our promises to thee. (And they answered to him, The Lord himself, who heareth these things, is our mediator and witness, that we shall fulfill our promises to thee.)

11 And so Jephthah went with the princes of Gilead, and all the people made him their prince; and Jephthah spake all his words (again) before the Lord in Mizpeh.

12 And he sent messengers to the king of the sons of Ammon, which messengers should say of his person (which messengers were to say for him), What is to me and to thee, for thou hast come against me to waste my land?

13 To the which messengers the king answered, For Israel, when he ascended from Egypt, took away my land, from the coasts of Arnon unto Jabbok, and to (the) Jordan, now therefore yield it to me again with peace. (To which messengers the king answered, For Israel, when they came up from Egypt, took away my land, from the Arnon River unto the Jabbok River, and unto the Jordan River; and so now peacefully, or without any need for fighting, return thou these lands to me.)

14 By the which messengers Jephthah sent again, and commanded to them, that they should say to the king of Ammon,