What Have You to Do with Me? - Judges 11:12

In the book of Judges we learned how, “Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the LORD in Mizpeh”, and in chapter eleven and verse twelve of Judges, we learn how, “Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon” where we read,

And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying,

 What have you to do with me, that you are come against me to fight in my land?

The verse reads, “And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, …” The writer began with the words, “and Jephthah” whose name means ‘he opens’ and was was a son of Gilead and and a concubine and the judge who defeated the Ammonites” “sent messengers unto the king” or ”dispatched and assigned envoys to the royal ruler and leader” “of the children of Ammon” which means “pertaining to the offspring and progeny belonging to Ammon whose name means ‘tribal’ who were a people dwelling in Transjordan descended from Lot though Ben-ammi”, “saying” or “uttering, declaring, proclaiming and asking” the following question. The writer shared how “Jephthah” dispatched envoys to the royal ruler and leader of the “Ammonites” and asked the following question.

The verse continues, “What have you to do with me, that you are come against me to fight in my land?” The writer added the words, “what have you to do with me” which means “what business do you, king of Ammon, desire to perform and produce with me, Jephthah”, “that you are come against me” or “that you, Jephthah, have entered and risen in opposition to me, Jephthah” “to fight against me” which means “to wage battle and war in opposition to me, Jephthah” “in my land” or “within my, Jephthah’s, territory and region”? The writer shared how “Jephthah” questioned whatsoever the royal ruler of “Ammon” had to do with him that caused him to rise up in battle and war in opposition to him and his territory. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn how “Jephthah’s” first act after making declarations before Jehovah God was to send out a delegation to talk to the royal ruler and leader of “Ammon” concerning his attack against him and his land. Perhaps diplomatic efforts could curtail this aggression, however, as we shall see, it did not have that intended end. God knows when we can use diplomatic efforts and when diplomatic attempts fail, and when we put our faith and trust in His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of everyone and rose from the grave after three days, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put His Holy Spirit within us who will guide us into all truth and equip us with His wisdom when we engage with those who oppose us. (See John 3:16; James 1:5)

Next time we learn how, “the king of the children of Ammon answered”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance”