The king of the children of Ammon answered to the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when he came up out of Egypt, from the Arnon even to the Jabbok, and to the Jordan: now therefore restore those [lands] again peaceably.
Finally, Jephthah called on Yahweh the Judge to judge who had rightful title to the land (Judges 11:27). The Ammonite king disregarded Jephthah’s message (Judges 11:28). He obviously believed he could take Gilead in battle.