שופטים, פרק י״א, פסוק כ״ג

A sharp diplomatic and theological defense establishes the Israelites' exclusive right to the territory east of the Jordan River. The argument presented to the king of Ammon is rooted in the established rules of ancient warfare and kingship, where the property of the defeated transfers directly to the victorious king. Because God is the ultimate King who achieved victory in battle and defeated the Amorites, the territory legally passed into His possession. He then granted it as a permanent inheritance to His people [אלשיך]. This process involved a complete physical expulsion of the former inhabitants to make way for the Israelites to receive their new inheritance [מצודת ציון]. This removal was executed for the very purpose of giving the Israelites the land, not to return it to any previous owners [מצודת דוד]. Naturally, the idea of another nation taking it over is met with sheer astonishment. It is unthinkable that the king of Ammon would expect to inherit a region that God justly and rightfully conquered for the Israelites [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Furthermore, a glaring internal contradiction exists within the Ammonites' historical and legal demands. If they argue that military conquest does not grant legal ownership of land, they undermine their own history, as they originally captured their territory by force from the Zamzummim. Conversely, if military conquest does establish legitimate ownership, then Sihon, king of the Amorites, legally acquired the land when he captured it from Ammon. Therefore, when the Israelites later defeated Sihon in battle, they claimed the territory through entirely legal and accepted means [אהבת יהונתן].

Beyond the legal arguments, the case appeals to the broader worldview of the ancient world, which held that a nation's borders were determined by the power of its guiding deity. Addressing the Ammonite king in terms he would understand, the message is clear: he should be content with the lands granted to him by his own god. In turn, the Israelites will confidently and securely hold the territory that God has given to them [אהבת יהונתן, אלשיך, צאינה וראינה].