and he said to him, Thus says Jephthah: Israel didn't take away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon,
This mistake could have been inadvertent or intentional and designed to denigrate the Ammonites. [Note: See Lindsey, p. 401, for three other possible interpretations.] King Balak of Moab had never fought with Israel (Numbers 22-24). This powerful king realized that opposing Israel in battle would be futile in view of the power of Israel’s God.