שופטים, פרק י״א, פסוק כ״ב

A territorial dispute arises when the king of Ammon lays claim to a specific region, prompting a clear historical and legal defense of Israelite ownership. The Israelites never captured the contested land from the nations of Ammon or Moab. Instead, they took possession of the territory directly from Sihon, the king of the Amorites [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The primary approach among commentators is that while the Ammonite king demanded the return of the land, asserting it rightfully belonged to him, the historical reality of the conquest was entirely different. Sihon had previously captured this exact territory from the Ammonites and Moabites. This earlier conquest by the Amorite king formally removed the land from its original owners, legally clearing the way for the Israelites to later conquer and settle the region [רש״י, מצודת דוד, אלשיך].

To solidify this claim, the precise borders of the former Amorite territory are outlined, encompassing the entire area of the conflict. The region spans from the southern border at Arnon to the northern border at Jabbok, and stretches from the eastern deserts all the way to the Jordan River in the west [רש״י, ביאור שטיינזלץ].