“But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against Israel.”
Context: Judges 11:20 is a part of the account of Jephthah, one of the judges of Israel. Jephthah was called upon by the Israelites to deliver them from the oppression of the Ammonites. In this verse, we see that Jephthah sent messengers to the Ammonite king, Sihon, requesting safe passage through his territory in order to reach the land of the Ammonites. However, Sihon refused to trust the Israelites and instead gathered his people in Jahaz to confront the Israelite army in battle. This verse highlights the tension and conflict between the Ammonites and the Israelites during that time. Sihon’s refusal to allow the Israelites to pass peacefully through his land led to a military confrontation between the two nations. The subsequent verses reveal that Jephthah and the Israelites emerged victorious in the battle against Sihon and the Ammonites.
