Judges 20:18
in Judges 20The Israelites set out, went up to Bethel, and inquired of God, “Who of us shall go up first to fight against the Benjamites?” “Judah will be first,” the LORD replied.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the children of Israel arose, and went up to Beth-el, and asked counsel of God; and they said, Who shall go up for us first to battle against the children of Benjamin? And Jehovah said, Judah shall go up first.
KJV
And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the Lord said, Judah shall go up first.
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This verse in Judges 20
Commentary
8 notes on this verseWent up to the house of God - Some think that a deputation was sent from Shiloh, where Phinehas the high priest was, to inquire, not concerning the expediency of the war, nor of its success, but which of the tribes should begin the attack. Having so much right on their side, they had no doubt of the justice of their cause. Having such a superiority of numbers, they had no doubt of success. See the note on Jdg 20:1. And the Lord said, Judah - But he did not say that they should conquer.
This site's exposition
went up to Bethel, and inquired of God
The question repeats the book’s opening, where at Judges 1:1 Israel asked who would go up first against the Canaanites and was told Judah. Here the answer is again “Judah will be first”, sending the leading tribe against a brother. The King James renders Bethel at verses 18, 26 and 31 as the house of God, but verse 31 has a road up to it, so a place is meant.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
And when at first the people of Israel were defeated, yet unmoved by fear at the reverses of the war, they disregarded the sorrow the avenging of chastity cost them. They rushed into the battle ready to wash out with their own blood the stains of the crime that had been committed.
In the first and second encounters, when many were harmed by a few, the Israelites considered yielding, since the battles were so unfavorable. There were four hundred thousand men warring against twenty-five thousand of the tribe of Benjamin, and they strove with seven hundred Gabanites [Gibeonites] experienced in war. When two battles were unfavorable, Israel with eager spirit did not lose hope of victory nor of vengeance for the hope they had fostered.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And the children of Israel arose,....
This honour was done to Judah because our Lord Jesus was to spring from that tribe, who was in all things to have the pre-eminence. The tribe that went up first had the most honourable post, but withal the most dangerous, and probably lost most in the engagement.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
But they ought to have done it at the commencement of their proceedings. Instead of this, all their plans were formed, and never doubting, it would seem, that the war was just and inevitable, the only subject of their inquiry related to the precedency of the tribes--a point which it is likely was discussed in the assembly.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Went up to the house of God - It should be “to Bethel.” At this time the ark was at Bethel (compare 1Sa 10:3), and not at Shiloh. It is not unlikely that though Shiloh was the chief residence of the ark Jer 7:12, yet the tabernacle, being moveable, was, either at stated times, or as occasion required, moved to where the Judge resided, or the congregation assembled (compare 1Sa 7:16). On the present occasion the ark may have been moved to Bethel for the convenience of proximity to the great national council at Mizpeh.
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיָּקֻ֜מוּ | vaiyakumu | and they arose | H6965 → | 628 times |
| וַיַּעֲל֣וּ | vaiyaalu | and they went up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| בֵֽית־ | veit- | Beth- | H1008 → | 142 times |
| אֵל֮ | ʾel | -el | H1008 → | 142 times |
| וַיִּשְׁאֲל֣וּ | vaiyishalu | and they asked | H7592 → | 171 times |
| בֵאלֹהִים֒ | velohim | by God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ | vaiyomeru | and they said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| מִ֚י | mi | who? | H4310 → | 423 times |
| יַעֲלֶה־ | yaaleh- | will he go up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| לָּ֣נוּ | lanu | for <the> us | ||
| בַתְּחִלָּ֔ה | vatechilah | at the first | H8462 → | 22 times |
| לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה | lamilchamah | to the battle | H4421 → | 320 times |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | [the] descendants of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| בִנְיָמִ֑ן | vinyamin | Benjamin | H1144 → | 166 times |
| וַיֹּ֥אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יְהוָ֖ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| יְהוּדָ֥ה | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| בַתְּחִלָּֽה׃ | vatechilah | [will be] at the first | H8462 → | 22 times |
וַיָּקֻ֜מוּand they arose
vaiyakumuH6965 →628 times
וַיַּעֲל֣וּand they went up
vaiyaaluH5927 →890 times
בֵֽית־Beth-
veit-H1008 →142 times
אֵל֮-el
ʾelH1008 →142 times
וַיִּשְׁאֲל֣וּand they asked
vaiyishaluH7592 →171 times
בֵאלֹהִים֒by God
velohimH430 →2601 times
וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙and they said
vaiyomeruH559 →5305 times
בְּנֵ֣י[the] people of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
מִ֚יwho?
miH4310 →423 times
יַעֲלֶה־will he go up
yaaleh-H5927 →890 times
לָּ֣נוּfor <the> us
lanu
בַתְּחִלָּ֔הat the first
vatechilahH8462 →22 times
לַמִּלְחָמָ֖הto the battle
lamilchamahH4421 →320 times
עִם־with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
בְּנֵ֣י[the] descendants of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
בִנְיָמִ֑ןBenjamin
vinyaminH1144 →166 times
וַיֹּ֥אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
יְהוָ֖הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
יְהוּדָ֥הJudah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
בַתְּחִלָּֽה׃[will be] at the first
vatechilahH8462 →22 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Numbers 27:21He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel for him before the LORD by the judgment of the Urim. At his command, he and all the Israelites with him—the entire congregation—will…
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 28:6
He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets.
- Joshua 9:14
Then the men of Israel sampled their provisions, but did not seek the counsel of the LORD.
- Exodus 28:30
And place the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece of judgment, so that they will also be over Aaron’s heart whenever he comes before the LORD. Aaron will continually carry the judgment of the…
- 1 Samuel 28:6
Through
Judges 20:23They went up and wept before the LORD until evening, inquiring of Him, “Should we again draw near for battle against our brothers the Benjamites?” And the LORD answered, “Go up against them.”
it leads to
- Judges 20:26–27
Then the Israelites, all the people, went up to Bethel, where they sat weeping before the LORD. That day they fasted until evening and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings to the LORD.
- Joshua 7:6
Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown before the ark of the LORD until evening, as did the elders of Israel; and they all sprinkled dust on their heads.
- Hosea 5:15
Then I will return to My place until they admit their guilt and seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”
- Psalms 78:34–36
When He slew them, they would seek Him; they repented and searched for God.
- Judges 20:26–27
Through
Numbers 27:5So Moses brought their case before the LORD,
it leads to
- Leviticus 24:12–13
They placed him in custody until the will of the LORD should be made clear to them.
- Leviticus 24:12–13
About Judges
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonPatriarchsJudahJacob's fourth son who pledges himself for Benjamin; the tribe that carries the scepter to Shiloh (49:10) and the line to Christ (…
- PlaceCentral hill countryBethelThe house of God, where Jacob saw the ladder and heard the promise, where he returned to raise an altar, and where Jeroboam’s gold…
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrose of Milan, On the Duties of the Clergy 3.19.115-16; Ambrose of Milan, LETTER 33; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.