“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.”
My Notes
What Does Judges 11:18 Mean?
"They went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab." Jephthah recounts Israel's wilderness history to the king of Ammon: Israel went around Edom and Moab. They didn't invade. They didn't take territory. They respected the boundaries God established for those nations (Deuteronomy 2:4-5, 9, 19). The long way around was the obedient way.
The 'compassing' (going around) means the journey was longer because the boundaries were respected. The direct route through Edom and Moab would have been shorter. The circuitous route through the wilderness was harder but obedient. Israel chose the long way because God said: don't touch their land.
Jephthah's historical argument serves a diplomatic purpose: Israel doesn't take what belongs to others. The Ammonite accusation — that Israel stole their land — is refuted by the historical record: Israel went around the nations whose territory God protected. What Israel holds was taken from Sihon, not from Ammon.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What boundary is God asking you to go around rather than through?
- 2.What miles does obedience add to your journey that shortcuts would eliminate?
- 3.How does respecting others' God-given territory produce clean hands at your destination?
- 4.What 'Edom or Moab' should you compass rather than cross?
Devotional
They went the long way around. Through the wilderness. Around Edom. Around Moab. Israel could have cut through both territories. It would have been faster, easier, more direct. But God said: go around. So they went around.
The obedient route was the longer route. The path that respected boundaries was the path that added miles. The direct way was forbidden. The roundabout way was commanded. And Israel — for all their failures — got this one right: they went around what God told them not to cross.
Jephthah's recounting serves a specific purpose: he's proving to Ammon that Israel respects territorial boundaries. You're accusing us of theft? Here's the record: we went AROUND Edom. We went AROUND Moab. We didn't touch what God gave them. The land we hold came from Sihon, who attacked us first. The history proves the accusation wrong.
The long way around teaches something about obedience and boundaries: the right path isn't always the short path. Sometimes respecting someone else's territory adds wilderness miles to your journey. Sometimes the obedient route is the scenic route — longer, harder, less efficient. But the arrival at the destination, when it comes, arrives with clean hands.
What boundary are you tempted to cross because the short route runs through someone else's territory? What 'going around' is God requiring that adds miles to your journey? The direct path might be shorter. The obedient path might be longer. Take the longer path.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon,.... Which was his royal city, where he…
Consult the marginal references. If the ark with the copy of the Law Deu 31:26 was at Mizpeh, it would account for…
We have here the treaty between Jephthah, now judge of Israel, and the king of the Ammonites (who is not named), that…
compassed the land of Edom Num 21:4 b; cf. Deu 2:1.
on the other side of Arnon Clearly the country northof the Arnon,…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture