Judges 20:26
in Judges 20Then 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto Beth-el, and wept, and sat there before Jehovah, and fasted that day until even; and they offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before Jehovah.
KJV
Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the Lord, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.
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This verse in Judges 20
Commentary
8 notes on this verseAnd wept - Had they humbled themselves, fasted, and prayed, and offered sacrifices at first, they had not been discomfited. And fasted that day until even - This is the first place where fasting is mentioned as a religious ceremony, or as a means of obtaining help from God. And in this case, and many since, it has been powerfully effectual. At present it is but little used; a strong proof that self-denial is wearing out of fashion.
This site's exposition
they sat weeping before the LORD
on Judges 20:26-28
The third approach adds fasting, burnt offerings and peace offerings, and the ark stands at Bethel with “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron” serving before it. One generation from Aaron places these events early in the period, so chapters 17 to 21 are an appendix. Only now does the answer carry a promise, “Fight, for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand”.
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
), to make an atonement for sin and an acknowledgment of their dependence upon God, and as an expression of their desire towards him. We cannot expect the presence of God with us, unless we thus seek it in the way he has appointed.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Then all the children of Israel and all the people went up, and came unto the house of God,....
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
Fasted until even - The regular time for ending a fast among the Hebrews was sunset (compare 1Sa 14:24; 2Sa 1:12). Such national fasts are called by the rabbis “fasts of the congregation,” and were enjoined in times of great affliction. On the offerings, see Lev. i., 3.
The words behind it
24 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיַּעֲל֣וּ | vaiyaalu | and they went up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| כָל־ | khol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| בְּנֵי֩ | benei | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וְכָל־ | vekhol | and all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָעָ֜ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ | vaiyavou | and they came | H935 → | 2568 times |
| בֵֽית־ | veit- | Beth- | H1008 → | 142 times |
| אֵ֗ל | ʾel | -el | H1008 → | 142 times |
| וַיִּבְכּוּ֙ | vaiyivku | and they wept | H1058 → | 114 times |
| וַיֵּ֤שְׁבוּ | vaiyeshevu | and they sat | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| שָׁם֙ | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| לִפְנֵ֣י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וַיָּצ֥וּמוּ | vaiyatzumu | and they fasted | H6684 → | |
| בַיּוֹם־ | vaiyom- | on the day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הַה֖וּא | hahu' | <the> that | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| הָעָ֑רֶב | haarev | the evening | H6153 → | 134 times |
| וַֽיַּעֲל֛וּ | vaiyaalu | and they offered up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| עֹל֥וֹת | olot | burnt offerings | H5930 → | 287 times |
| וּשְׁלָמִ֖ים | ushelamim | and peace offerings | H8002 → | |
| לִפְנֵ֥י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| יְהוָֽה׃ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
וַיַּעֲל֣וּand they went up
vaiyaaluH5927 →890 times
כָל־all
khol-H3605 →5413 times
בְּנֵי֩[the] people of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֨לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וְכָל־and all
vekholH3605 →5413 times
הָעָ֜םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
וַיָּבֹ֣אוּand they came
vaiyavouH935 →2568 times
בֵֽית־Beth-
veit-H1008 →142 times
אֵ֗ל-el
ʾelH1008 →142 times
וַיִּבְכּוּ֙and they wept
vaiyivkuH1058 →114 times
וַיֵּ֤שְׁבוּand they sat
vaiyeshevuH3427 →1079 times
שָׁם֙there
shamH8033 →834 times
לִפְנֵ֣י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וַיָּצ֥וּמוּand they fasted
vaiyatzumuH6684 →
בַיּוֹם־on the day
vaiyom-H3117 →2304 times
הַה֖וּא<the> that
hahu'H1931 →1879 times
עַד־until
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
הָעָ֑רֶבthe evening
haarevH6153 →134 times
וַֽיַּעֲל֛וּand they offered up
vaiyaaluH5927 →890 times
עֹל֥וֹתburnt offerings
olotH5930 →287 times
וּשְׁלָמִ֖יםand peace offerings
ushelamimH8002 →
לִפְנֵ֥י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
יְהוָֽה׃Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 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
Ezra 8:21And there by the Ahava Canal I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our…
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 20:3
Jehoshaphat was alarmed and set his face to seek the LORD. And he proclaimed a fast throughout Judah.
- Joel 1:14
Consecrate a fast; proclaim a solemn assembly! Gather the elders and all the residents of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.
- 1 Samuel 7:6
When they had gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted, and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged…
- Isaiah 30:21
And whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: “This is the way. Walk in it.”
- Jonah 3:5
And the Ninevites believed God. They proclaimed a fast and dressed in sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least.
- 2 Chronicles 20:3
Through
Judges 20:18The 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.
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.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Numbers 27:21
He 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…
- Judges 20:23
They 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.”
- Judges 20:26–27
About Judges
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
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.