‘ And the children of Ammon passed over Jordan, to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was sore distressed.'
This indicates the power of this king of Ammon. He was strong enough not only to afflict the tribes east of the Jordan but also to make incursions west of the Jordan, and attack the larger tribes there. Indeed he may have done this periodically. His main aim there was tribute and booty, but east of Jordan it was also an attempt to annex back land which Ammon had lost to the Amorites centuries before, land which was now controlled by the Israelites,.