What is the meaning of Judges 11:17? Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom • Numbers 20:14–17 records the first approach to Edom, confirming the historicity of Jephthah’s recap. • Israel’s appeal was peaceful; they did not assume a right to invade or coerce, reflecting obedience to Deuteronomy 2:4–5, where God forbade conflict with Edom because of their shared ancestry through Esau. • This teaches respect for boundaries God sets, even when the land seems the most direct route. “Please let us pass through your land” • The request was simple transit, not settlement or conquest (Numbers 20:17; Deuteronomy 2:6). • Israel offered to pay for water and any resources used, modeling fairness and neighbor-love (Romans 13:10). • The courteous wording shows how God’s people can pursue their mission without unnecessary offense (Colossians 4:5–6). The king of Edom would not listen • Edom’s refusal (Numbers 20:18–21) displayed distrust and lingering hostility from the Jacob-Esau rivalry (Genesis 27:41). • God allowed the denial; His sovereignty redirected Israel along a harsher path, yet one that preserved His larger purposes (Proverbs 16:9). • Edom’s choice later brought judgment (Obadiah 10–15), reminding that rejecting God’s people has consequences (Zechariah 2:8). They also sent messengers to the king of Moab • The pattern of peaceful negotiation continued (Numbers 21:21–22), proving Israel’s consistency. • Moab’s kinship through Lot (Genesis 19:37) gave Israel another reason to seek permission instead of plundering. • Jephthah’s narrative in Judges 11 demonstrates Israel’s long record of seeking peace first (Psalm 34:14; Matthew 5:9). But he would not consent • Moab copied Edom’s hardness (Deuteronomy 2:9). Later, Balak hired Balaam to curse Israel (Numbers 22–24), intensifying hostility. • Repeated rejection built the backdrop for God’s later victories over these nations (2 Samuel 8:2; Isaiah 11:14). • God’s people sometimes meet closed doors even when asking rightly; faith trusts He will open another (Revelation 3:7). So Israel stayed in Kadesh • Kadesh-barnea marked the southern edge of Canaan (Numbers 13:26). Israel paused there, awaiting God’s next directive instead of forcing entry. • Their restraint contrasts with the earlier rebellion at Kadesh (Numbers 14:40–45), showing growth in obedience. • Waiting on God’s timing is often as faith-filled as marching forward (Psalm 27:14; Isaiah 40:31). summary Judges 11:17 recounts Israel’s peaceful appeals to Edom and Moab, both refused. Israel, trusting God’s guidance, waited at Kadesh rather than retaliate. The verse validates the historical integrity of Numbers and Deuteronomy, underscores respect for God-ordained boundaries, models pursuing peace before conflict, and reminds that closed doors serve God’s greater plan. |
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