New International VersionWill you not take what your god Chemosh gives you? Likewise, whatever the LORD our God has given us, we will possess.
New Living TranslationYou keep whatever your god Chemosh gives you, and we will keep whatever the LORD our God gives us.
English Standard VersionWill you not possess what Chemosh your god gives you to possess? And all that the LORD our God has dispossessed before us, we will possess.
Berean Standard BibleDo you not possess whatever your god Chemosh grants you? So also, we possess whatever the LORD our God has granted us.
King James BibleWilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess.
New King James VersionWill you not possess whatever Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whatever the LORD our God takes possession of before us, we will possess.
New American Standard BibleDo you not possess what Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whatever the LORD our God has dispossessed before us, we will possess it.
NASB 1995‘Do you not possess what Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whatever the LORD our God has driven out before us, we will possess it.
NASB 1977‘Do you not possess what Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whatever the LORD our God has driven out before us, we will possess it.
Legacy Standard BibleDo you not possess what Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whatever Yahweh our God has taken possession of before us, we will possess it.
Amplified BibleDo you not possess what Chemosh your god gives you to possess? And everything that the LORD our God dispossessed before us, we will possess.
Christian Standard BibleIsn’t it true that you can have whatever your god Chemosh conquers for you, and we can have whatever the LORD our God conquers for us?
Holman Christian Standard BibleIsn’t it true that you may possess whatever your god Chemosh drives out for you, and we may possess everything the LORD our God drives out before us?
American Standard VersionWilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever Jehovah our God hath dispossessed from before us, them will we possess.
Contemporary English VersionIf Chemosh your god takes over a country and gives it to you, don't you have a right to it? And if the LORD takes over a country and gives it to us, the land is ours!
English Revised VersionWilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the LORD our God hath dispossessed from before us, them will we possess.
GOD'S WORD® TranslationShouldn't you take possession of what your god Chemosh took for you? Shouldn't we take everything the LORD our God took for us?
Good News TranslationAre you going to try to take it back? You can keep whatever your god Chemosh has given you. But we are going to keep everything that the LORD, our God, has taken for us.
International Standard VersionDon't you control what your god Chemosh gives you? In the same way, we'll take control of whomever the LORD our God has driven out in front of us.
NET BibleYou have the right to take what Chemosh your god gives you, but we will take the land of all whom the LORD our God has driven out before us.
New Heart English BibleWon't you possess that which Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whoever the LORD our God has driven out from before us, we will possess.
Webster's Bible TranslationWilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleDo you not possess whatever your god Chemosh grants you? So also, we possess whatever the LORD our God has granted us.
World English BibleWon’t you possess that which Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whoever Yahweh our God has dispossessed from before us, them will we possess. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionThat which your god Chemosh causes you to possess—do you not possess it? And all that which our God YHWH has dispossessed from our presence—we possess it.
Young's Literal Translation That which Chemosh thy god causeth thee to possess -- dost thou not possess it? and all that which Jehovah our God hath dispossessed from our presence, -- it we do possess.
Smith's Literal TranslationShalt thou not inherit what Chemosh thy god will give thee to inherit? and all which Jehovah our God drove out from our face, we will inherit it. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAre not those things which thy god Chamos possesseth, due to thee by right? But what the Lord our God hath obtained by conquest, shall be our possession:
Catholic Public Domain VersionAre not the things that your god Chemosh possesses owed to you by right? And so, what the Lord our God has obtained by victory falls to us as a possession.
New American BibleShould you not take possession of that which your god Chemosh gave you to possess, and should we not take possession of all that the LORD, our God, has dispossessed for us?
New Revised Standard VersionShould you not possess what your god Chemosh gives you to possess? And should we not be the ones to possess everything that the LORD our God has conquered for our benefit? Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleWill you not possess that which Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whomever the LORD our God has destroyed from before us, their land will we possess.
Peshitta Holy Bible TranslatedDo you not inherit whatever Kemosh your god causes you to inherit, and anything that LORD JEHOVAH our God destroys from before us, we inherit? OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the LORD our God hath dispossessed from before us, them will we possess.
Brenton Septuagint TranslationWilt thou not inherit those possessions which Chamos thy god shall cause thee to inherit; and shall not we inherit the land of all those whom the Lord our God has removed from before you?
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context Jephthah Delivers Israel… 23Now since the LORD, the God of Israel, has driven out the Amorites from before His people Israel, should you now possess it? 24Do you notpossesswhateveryour godChemoshgrants you?So also,we possesswhateverthe LORDour Godhas grantedus.25Are you now so much better than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever contend with Israel or fight against them?…
Cross References Deuteronomy 2:19But when you get close to the Ammonites, do not harass them or provoke them, for I will not give you any of the land of the Ammonites. I have given it to the descendants of Lot as their possession.”
Deuteronomy 2:9Then the LORD said to me, “Do not harass the Moabites or provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land, because I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as their possession.”
Numbers 21:29Woe to you, O Moab! You are destroyed, O people of Chemosh! He gave up his sons as refugees, and his daughters into captivity to Sihon king of the Amorites.
2 Kings 18:33-35Has the god of any nation ever delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? / Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Have they delivered Samaria from my hand? / Who among all the gods of these lands has delivered his land from my hand? How then can the LORD deliver Jerusalem from my hand?”
2 Chronicles 32:13-15Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Have the gods of these nations ever been able to deliver their land from my hand? / Who among all the gods of these nations that my fathers devoted to destruction has been able to deliver his people from my hand? How then can your God deliver you from my hand? / So now, do not let Hezekiah deceive you, and do not let him mislead you like this. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or from the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you from my hand!”
Isaiah 36:18-20Do not let Hezekiah mislead you when he says, ‘The LORD will deliver us.’ Has the god of any nation ever delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? / Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they delivered Samaria from my hand? / Who among all the gods of these lands has delivered his land from my hand? How then can the LORD deliver Jerusalem from my hand?”
Jeremiah 48:7Because you trust in your works and treasures, you too will be captured, and Chemosh will go into exile with his priests and officials.
Jeremiah 48:13Then Moab will be ashamed of Chemosh, just as the house of Israel was ashamed when they trusted in Bethel.
Jeremiah 48:46Woe to you, O Moab! The people of Chemosh have perished; for your sons have been taken into exile and your daughters have gone into captivity.
1 Kings 11:7At that time on a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites.
1 Kings 11:33For they have forsaken Me to worship Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites. They have not walked in My ways, nor done what is right in My eyes, nor kept My statutes and judgments, as Solomon’s father David did.
Acts 17:26From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands.
Acts 17:24-25The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands. / Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.
Romans 1:25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen.
Romans 1:21-23For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. / Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, / and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
Treasury of Scripture Will not you possess that which Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess. Wilt not thou possess. Numbers 21:29 Woe to thee, Moab! thou art undone, O people of Chemosh: he hath given his sons that escaped, and his daughters, into captivity unto Sihon king of the Amorites. 1 Kings 11:7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill thatis before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. Jeremiah 48:7,46 For because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou shalt also be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivitywith his priests and his princes together… whomsoever Deuteronomy 9:4,5 Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the LORD thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the LORD hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD doth drive them out from before thee… Deuteronomy 18:12 For all that do these thingsare an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Joshua 3:10 And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living Godis among you, andthat he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites. Jump to Previous CausethChemoshDispossessedDriveDrivenLikewisePossessPresenceSendsWhateverWhomsoeverWiltWon'tJump to Next CausethChemoshDispossessedDriveDrivenLikewisePossessPresenceSendsWhateverWhomsoeverWiltWon'tJudges 11 1.The covenant between Jephthah and the Gileadites, that he should lead12.The treaty of peace between him and the Ammonites is in vain29.Jephthah's vow32.His conquest of the Ammonites34.He performs his vow on his daughter.Do you not possess whatever your god Chemosh grants you?This phrase is part of Jephthah's diplomatic message to the king of the Ammonites. Chemosh was the national deity of the Moabites, often associated with war and destruction. The mention of Chemosh here is significant because it highlights the cultural and religious differences between the Israelites and their neighbors. The Moabites and Ammonites, though related to Israel through Lot, had distinct religious practices that often led to conflict with Israel. Jephthah's rhetorical question implies that just as the Ammonites claim land given by their god, Israel has a similar claim through Yahweh. This reflects the ancient Near Eastern belief that deities granted land and victory in battle. Theologically, it underscores the idea of divine sovereignty over nations and territories. So also, we possess whatever the LORD our God has granted us.
This statement asserts Israel's divine right to the land they occupy, as granted by Yahweh. The LORD, or Yahweh, is the covenant name of God, emphasizing His personal relationship with Israel. This claim is rooted in the promises made to the patriarchs, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, regarding the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:7, 15:18-21). Theologically, it reflects the fulfillment of God's promises and His faithfulness to His covenant people. Historically, this period in Judges is marked by cycles of apostasy, oppression, and deliverance, with leaders like Jephthah raised up to deliver Israel. The phrase also highlights the contrast between the living God of Israel and the idols of the surrounding nations. In a broader biblical context, this can be seen as a type of Christ, who secures an eternal inheritance for His people, not through territorial conquest, but through His redemptive work. Persons / Places / Events 1. JephthahA judge of Israel, known for his leadership and his vow. He is the speaker in this verse, addressing the king of the Ammonites. 2. ChemoshThe national god of the Moabites, often associated with the Ammonites in this context. Jephthah references Chemosh to make a point about divine sovereignty over lands. 3. The LORD (Yahweh)The God of Israel, who Jephthah acknowledges as the true sovereign over the land Israel possesses. 4. AmmonitesA neighboring nation to Israel, engaged in conflict over territorial claims. The king of the Ammonites is in dispute with Israel over land. 5. Land of GileadThe region in dispute, which Jephthah argues was given to Israel by God, contrasting the Ammonite claim. Teaching Points Divine SovereigntyRecognize that God is sovereign over all nations and lands. Just as Israel's possession was granted by God, we should trust in His provision and timing in our lives. Respect for BoundariesJephthah's argument highlights the importance of respecting God-given boundaries. In our lives, we should honor the boundaries God sets, whether in relationships, ethics, or spiritual practices. Faith in God's PromisesJephthah's confidence in God's grant of land to Israel encourages us to have faith in God's promises. We should stand firm in the assurance that God will fulfill His word. Engaging with OthersJephthah's diplomatic approach to the Ammonite king teaches us to engage with others respectfully and wisely, even in conflict, using reason and faith as our guide. Understanding Cultural ContextsBy understanding the cultural and religious contexts of the Bible, we can better appreciate the depth of its teachings and apply them to our modern context. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1.What is the meaning of Judges 11:24?
2.How does Judges 11:24 illustrate God's sovereignty over nations and territories?
3.What can we learn about respecting God's boundaries from Judges 11:24?
4.How does Judges 11:24 connect with God's promises to Israel in Deuteronomy?
5.How should we respond when others challenge God's authority in our lives?
6.How can we apply the principle of divine ownership in our daily decisions?
7.How does Judges 11:24 justify territorial claims based on divine authority?
8.Does Judges 11:24 support the idea of divine right to land ownership?
9.How should Christians interpret the concept of divine entitlement in Judges 11:24?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Judges 11?
11.Who was the deity Chemosh?
12.Who else is a savior besides me?
13.Joshua 24:14-15 - How does this pledge to exclusively serve the Lord reconcile with the later biblical narratives showing continued idolatry in Israel?
14.Judges 11:30-31: How can a just God permit Jephthah's vow, which appears to condone human sacrifice?What Does Judges 11:24 Mean Do you not possess– Jephthah opens with a rhetorical reminder of everyday reality: every nation holds its land because it actually lives on it. • InNumbers 21:24–25 Israel itself “possessed all the land” after victory; the Ammonites had done the same in their own conquests. • This appeal to common sense builds a bridge for the subsequent contrast he will draw.
whatever your god Chemosh grants you?– Jephthah highlights the pagan worldview: Chemosh is thought to parcel out territory, and his followers simply keep what they believe he bestows. •Numbers 21:29 laments Moab’s trust in Chemosh;1 Kings 11:7 and2 Kings 23:13 show Israel later stumbling by tolerating this idol, proving Chemosh’s impotence. • By accepting the logic of a false deity for the sake of argument, Jephthah exposes its inadequacy when placed beside the living God.
So also,– The comparison signals fair play: if pagans claim an inheritance from their god, Israel is fully justified in claiming hers from the LORD. •Deuteronomy 2:9–19 records God giving Esau, Moab, and Ammon their territories; Israel had honored those allotments. Jephthah simply asks for the same courtesy. •Acts 17:26 affirms that God “determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands,” underlining divine sovereignty over all national borders.
we possess whatever the LORD our God has granted us.– Here is the heart of Jephthah’s case: Israel’s land is a tangible gift from the covenant-keeping LORD, not the fruit of chance or human ambition. •Deuteronomy 2:24 andJoshua 13:6 testify that the LORD “has given” specific regions to Israel. •Psalm 135:12 celebrates that God “gave their land as an inheritance,” reinforcing that Israel occupies her territory by divine deed, not mere military might. •Romans 8:31 echoes the confidence implicit here: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Israel rests on the sure promise of the Almighty.
summaryJephthah’s statement inJudges 11:24 presses a simple yet profound logic: pagans respect the boundaries they believe their idol has provided, so it is only right that Israel holds the land the one true God has granted. The verse underscores God’s absolute authority over nations, affirms His faithful fulfillment of covenant promises, and invites confidence that His gifts are irrevocable and just. (24) Chemosh thy god.--The expression shows the close connection between Ammon and Moab. Chemosh was distinctively the god of Moab, and Moloch of Ammon; but the two nations were of kindred blood and allied institutions ( Judges 3:12-13). The name Chemosh means "subduer," and there is here, perhaps, a tacit reference to the wild popular song of triumph over the conquest of Heshbon, in which Chemosh is taunted by name ( Numbers 21:29; comp. Jeremiah 48:7). The clause might be rendered, "Whatever Jehovah our God hath dispossessed before us, that take we in possession." Verse 24. - Chemosh. The national god of the Moabites (cf. Numbers 21:29; 1 Kings 11:7, 33; Jeremiah 48:7, 13, 46, etc.). Thy god. The phrase indicates a very close connection between Moab and Ammon at the present time, both possibly being under one king. Chemosh, rather than Moloch, is mentioned because the territory had belonged to the Moabites, but Chemosh had not been able to save it from the Amorites. The Lord our God. Jehovah was the God of Israel as truly as Chemosh was the god of Moab, in one sense. Possibly Jephthah had not risen to the conception of Jehovah as the God of the whole earth.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew Do you notהֲלֹ֞א(hă·lō)Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, nopossessיוֹרִֽישְׁךָ֛(yō·w·rî·šə·ḵā)Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular
Strong's 3423:To occupy, to seize, to rob, to inherit, to expel, to impoverish, to ruinwhateverאֲשֶׁ֧ר(’ă·šer)Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834:Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order thatyour godאֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ(’ĕ·lō·he·ḵā)Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 430:gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlativeChemoshכְּמ֥וֹשׁ(kə·mō·wōš)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3645:Chemosh -- a god of the Moabitesgrants you?תִירָ֑שׁ(ṯî·rāš)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3423:To occupy, to seize, to rob, to inherit, to expel, to impoverish, to ruinSo also,וְאֵת֩(wə·’êṯ)Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker
Strong's 853:Untranslatable mark of the accusative casewe possessהוֹרִ֜ישׁ(hō·w·rîš)Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3423:To occupy, to seize, to rob, to inherit, to expel, to impoverish, to ruinwhateverכָּל־(kāl-)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605:The whole, all, any, everythe LORDיְהוָ֧ה(Yah·weh)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068:LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israelour Godאֱלֹהֵ֛ינוּ(’ĕ·lō·hê·nū)Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 430:gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlativehas grantedנִירָֽשׁ׃(nî·rāš)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural
Strong's 3423:To occupy, to seize, to rob, to inherit, to expel, to impoverish, to ruinus.מִפָּנֵ֖ינוּ(mip·pā·nê·nū)Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 6440:The face
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OT History: Judges 11:24 Won't you possess that which Chemosh your (Jd Judg. Jdg) |
