Judges 11:14
“Jephthah sent messengers again to the king of the children of Ammon;”
What does Judges 11:14 mean?
Jephthah, who has been chosen to lead Israel's army against the Ammonites, is trying diplomacy before resorting to warfare. He sends messengers a second time to their king, hoping to resolve the conflict through negotiation and understand why they're attacking. This moment shows that even in a violent era, seeking peaceful solutions was valued, and that military leaders were expected to at least attempt to talk things through. Unfortunately, the Ammonite king refuses to listen, which ultimately leads to the battle that makes up the rest of this difficult chapter.