New Living Translation
Judges 11:18
18“Finally, they went around Edom and Moab through the wilderness. They traveled along Moab’s eastern border and camped on the other side of the Arnon River. But they never once crossed the Arnon River into Moab, for the Arnon was the border of Moab.
Judges 11:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, but came not within the border of Moab: for Arnon was the border of Moab.
- New International Version (NIV)“Next they traveled through the wilderness, skirted the lands of Edom and Moab, passed along the eastern side of the country of Moab, and camped on the other side of the Arnon. They did not enter the territory of Moab, for the Arnon was its border.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Then they journeyed through the wilderness and went around the land of Edom and the land of Moab and arrived on the east side of the land of Moab and camped on the other side of the Arnon. But they did not enter the territory of Moab, for the Arnon was the boundary of Moab.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And they went along through the wilderness and bypassed the land of Edom and the land of Moab, came to the east side of the land of Moab, and encamped on the other side of the Arnon. But they did not enter the border of Moab, for the Arnon was the border of Moab.
Context of Judges 11:18
16When the people of Israel arrived at Kadesh on their journey from Egypt after crossing the Red Sea, 17they sent messengers to the king of Edom asking for permission to pass through his land. But their request was denied. Then they asked the king of Moab for similar permission, but he wouldn’t let them pass through either. So the people of Israel stayed in Kadesh. “Finally, they went around Edom and Moab through the wilderness. They traveled along Moab’s eastern border and camped on the other side of the Arnon River. But they never once crossed the Arnon River into Moab, for the Arnon was the border of Moab. 19“Then Israel sent messengers to King Sihon of the Amorites, who ruled from Heshbon, asking for permission to cross through his land to get to their destination. 20But King Sihon didn’t trust Israel to pass through his land. Instead, he mobilized his army at Jahaz and attacked them.
Read all of Judges 11Judges 11:18 word by word
וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ בַּמִּדְבָּ֗ר וַיָּ֜סָב אֶת־אֶ֤רֶץ אֱדוֹם֙ וְאֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ מוֹאָ֔ב וַיָּבֹ֤א מִמִּזְרַח־שֶׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ לְאֶ֣רֶץ מוֹאָ֔ב וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּן בְּעֵ֣בֶר אַרְנ֑וֹן וְלֹא־בָ֙אוּ֙ בִּגְב֣וּל מוֹאָ֔ב כִּ֥י אַרְנ֖וֹן גְּב֥וּל מוֹאָֽב׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then they went alongיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- through the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
- and compassedסָבַבsâbab · to turn: surroundH5437
- the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- of Edomאֱדוֹם'ĕdôm 'ĕdôm · EdomH123
- of Moabמוֹאָבmô'âb · MoabH4124
- and cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- by the east sideשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121
- by the east sideמִזְרָחmizrâch · eastH4217
- and pitchedחָנָהchânâh · to campH2583
- on the other sideעֵ֫בֶר‛êber · side: besideH5676
- of Arnonאַרְנוֹן'arnôn 'arnôn · ArnonH769
- not within the borderגְּבוּלgebûl gebûl · border: areaH1366
- the borderגְּבוּלgebûl gebûl · border: boundaryH1366
Cross-references for Judges 11:18
- Numbers 20:22The whole community of Israel left Kadesh and arrived at Mount Hor.
- Numbers 21:10The Israelites traveled next to Oboth and camped there.
- Numbers 33:37They left Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, at the border of Edom.
- Deuteronomy 2:1“Then we turned around and headed back across the wilderness toward the Red Sea, just as the Lord had instructed me, and we wandered around in the region of Mount Seir for a long time.
- Numbers 21:4Then the people of Israel set out from Mount Hor, taking the road to the Red Sea to go around the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient with the long journey,
- Numbers 21:11Then they went on to Iye-abarim, in the wilderness on the eastern border of Moab.
- Numbers 21:13Then they moved out and camped on the far side of the Arnon River, in the wilderness adjacent to the territory of the Amorites. The Arnon is the boundary line between the Moabites and the Amorites.
- Numbers 22:36When King Balak heard that Balaam was on the way, he went out to meet him at a Moabite town on the Arnon River at the farthest border of his land.
Commentaries on Judges 11:18
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15-28Verses 15-28 Consult the marginal references. If the ark with the copy of the Law Deuteronomy 31:26 was at Mizpeh, it would account for Jephthah‘s accurate knowledge of it; and this exact agreement of his message with Numbers and Deuteronomy would give additional force to the expression, “he uttered all his words before the Lord” Judges 11:11. Judges 11:17 No mention is made of this embassy to Moab in the Pentateuch. Judges 11:19 Into my place - This…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-28Verses 12-28 One instance of the honour and respect we owe to God, as our God, is, rightly to employ what he gives us to possess. Receive it from him, use it for him, and part with it when he calls for it. The whole of this message shows that Jephthah was well acquainted with the books of Moses. His argument was clear, and his demand reasonable. Those who possess the most courageous faith, will be the most disposed for peace, and the readiest to make…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-28Jephthah first tried to solve the issue through diplomacy instead of using military force (compare Deuteronomy 20:10–11). Unlike the nomadic and raiding Midianites from Gideon's time, the Ammonites were a settled tribe. Their land was east of Israel's territory in Transjordan (east of the Jordan River), with Rabbah as their capital. The Ammonites, like the Moabites (both who were descended from Lot) and the Edomites (descendants of Esau), were to be left…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 12-2812-28. Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon--This first act in his judicial capacity reflects the highest credit on his character for prudence and moderation, justice and humanity. The bravest officers have always been averse to war; so Jephthah, whose courage was indisputable, resolved not only to make it clearly appear that hostilities were forced upon him, but to try measures for avoiding, if possible, an appeal to arms: and…Read the comment
Topics related to Judges 11:18
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Judges 11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries