The Meaning of Judges 11:17 Explained

Judges 11:17

KJV: Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would not hearken thereto. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab: but he would not consent: and Israel abode in Kadesh.

YLT: and Israel sendeth messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me pass over, I pray thee, through thy land, and the king of Edom hearkened not; and also unto the king of Moab hath Israel sent, and he hath not been willing; and Israel abideth in Kadesh,

Darby: Israel then sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, 'Let us pass, we pray, through your land'; but the king of Edom would not listen. And they sent also to the king of Moab, but he would not consent. So Israel remained at Kadesh.

ASV: then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land; but the king of Edom hearkened not. And in like manner he sent unto the king of Moab; but he would not: and Israel abode in Kadesh.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then Israel  sent  messengers  unto the king  of Edom,  saying,  Let me, I pray thee, pass through  thy land:  but the king  of Edom  would not hearken  [thereto]. And in like manner they sent  unto the king  of Moab:  but he would  not [consent]: and Israel  abode  in Kadesh. 

What does Judges 11:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Judges 11:12-28 - A Warning From History
Jephthah acted with great prudence. Before rushing into war, he endeavored to argue the matter at issue in peaceful and courteous terms. In answer to the contention that Ammon was only trying to regain its own territories, he insisted that, when Israel came on the scene, they wrested the land, not from Ammon, but from the Amorites. Besides, the occupation of 300 years, which had never before been challenged, surely disproved the claim of the Ammonite king.
When a nation has right and justice on its side and is fighting against aggression, especially when the choice between two ideals is in the scale, there is every reason why it should appeal to the Lord, the Judge, to vindicate its cause. It was a question whether the worship of Jehovah or of Chemosh should dominate the country; on that issue there could be no vacillation nor hesitancy. It is interesting to notice how accurately Jephthah had studied the sacred annals of his people and how reverently he alludes to God. There is more religion in the hearts of men like Jephthah than certain Pharisees and priests give them credit for! [source]

Chapter Summary: Judges 11

1  The covenant between Jephthah and the Gileadites, that he should lead
12  The treaty of peace between him and the Ammonites is in vain
29  Jephthah's vow
32  His conquest of the Ammonites
34  He performs his vow on his daughter

What do the individual words in Judges 11:17 mean?

and sent Israel messengers to the king of Edom saying let me pass please through your land but not would heed the king of Edom and in like manner of Moab they sent he would [consent] so remained in Kadesh
וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל מַלְאָכִ֣ים ׀ אֶל־ מֶלֶךְ֩ אֱד֨וֹם ׀ לֵאמֹ֜ר אֶעְבְּרָה־ נָּ֣א בְאַרְצֶ֗ךָ וְלֹ֤א שָׁמַע֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אֱד֔וֹם וְגַ֨ם מוֹאָ֛ב שָׁלַ֖ח אָבָ֑ה וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב בְּקָדֵֽשׁ

וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח  and  sent 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
מַלְאָכִ֣ים ׀  messengers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַלְאָךְ  
Sense: messenger, representative.
מֶלֶךְ֩  the  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אֱד֨וֹם ׀  of  Edom 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱדֹום 
Sense: Edom.
לֵאמֹ֜ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֶעְבְּרָה־  let  me  pass 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Cohortative, first person common singular
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
נָּ֣א  please 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
בְאַרְצֶ֗ךָ  through  your  land 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וְלֹ֤א  but  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
שָׁמַע֙  would  heed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
מֶ֣לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אֱד֔וֹם  of  Edom 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱדֹום 
Sense: Edom.
וְגַ֨ם  and  in  like  manner 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
מוֹאָ֛ב  of  Moab 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מֹואָב 
Sense: a son of Lot by his eldest daughter.
שָׁלַ֖ח  they  sent 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
אָבָ֑ה  he  would  [consent] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָבָה  
Sense: to be willing, consent.
וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב  so  remained 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
בְּקָדֵֽשׁ  in  Kadesh 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: קָדֵשׁ  
Sense: a city in the extreme south of Judah.