Charles Ellicott Commentary Judges 11:17

"then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land; but the king of Edom hearkened not. And in like manner he sent unto the king of Moab; but he would not: and Israel abode in Kadesh." — Judges 11:17 (ASV)

Unto the king of Edom. —As narrated in Numbers 20:14 and following. Even if Jephthah had no written documents before him to which he could refer, the events he recounts were not so distant as to have been forgotten.

Unto the king of Moab. —This is not recorded in the Pentateuch, but the Israelites did not enter the territory of Moab (Deuteronomy 2:9; Deuteronomy 2:36). The Arnon bounded Moab from the Amorites (Numbers 21:13), and Israel encamped upon its banks.

Remained in Kadesh. —Many days (Deuteronomy 2:1). Probably they were encamped at Kadesh during a great part of the forty years (Deuteronomy 2:14).