Judges 20:27
in Judges 20And the Israelites inquired of the LORD. (In those days the ark of the covenant of God was there,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the children of Israel asked of Jehovah (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,
KJV
And the children of Israel enquired of the Lord, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,
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This verse in Judges 20
Commentary
6 notes on this verseAnd the children of Israel inquired of the Lord,.... By the Word of the Lord, as the Targum, and which has the same expression in Jdg 20:18 for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days; in Shiloh, where the tabernacle was.
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”.
This site's exposition
the Israelites inquired of the LORD
Gill notes that the Targum renders this inquiry as made by the Word of the LORD, the same wording it uses at verse 18. Barnes holds that the ark had been brought to Bethel for the assembly at Mizpah nearby, and Gill places it at Shiloh. The ark's location is read two ways.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
The war remained doubtful with an uncertain issue, but in the third engagement the people of Benjamin were delivered to the people of Israel, and being condemned by the divine judgment [they] paid the penalty for their widely immoral behavior.
Begging the Lord's peace, they returned more boldly to war, and they to whom prayer had given courage and who had entertained much hope were now able to do what they planned. On a pretext of withdrawing their front lines, setting ambushes at night in the rear of the city, where a segment of the enemy was located, they followed as some retired and thus were provided with an opportunity for invading the unprotected city. Fires were quickly set and flared up while raging flames and waves of heat revealed the sight of the taken city.
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.
The words behind it
10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּשְׁאֲל֥וּ | vaiyishalu | and they enquired | H7592 → | 171 times |
| בְנֵֽי־ | venei- | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| בַּֽיהוָ֑ה | bayahweh | by Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וְשָׁ֗ם | vesham | and [was] there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| אֲרוֹן֙ | ʾaron | [the] ark of | H727 → | |
| בְּרִ֣ית | berit | [the] covenant of | H1285 → | 284 times |
| הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים | haelohim | <the> God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| בַּיָּמִ֖ים | baiyamim | in the days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הָהֵֽם׃ | hahem | <the> those | H1992 → | 553 times |
וַיִּשְׁאֲל֥וּand they enquired
vaiyishaluH7592 →171 times
בְנֵֽי־[the] people of
venei-H1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
בַּֽיהוָ֑הby Yahweh
bayahwehH3068 →6520 times
וְשָׁ֗םand [was] there
veshamH8033 →834 times
אֲרוֹן֙[the] ark of
ʾaronH727 →
בְּרִ֣ית[the] covenant of
beritH1285 →284 times
הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים<the> God
haelohimH430 →2601 times
בַּיָּמִ֖יםin the days
baiyamimH3117 →2304 times
הָהֵֽם׃<the> those
hahemH1992 →553 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
Isaiah 59:1Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 32:17
“Oh, Lord GOD! You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for You!
- Isaiah 50:2
Why was no one there when I arrived? Why did no one answer when I called? Is My hand too short to redeem you? Or do I lack the strength to deliver you? Behold,…
- Numbers 11:23
The LORD answered Moses, “Is the LORD’s arm too short? Now you will see whether or not My word will come to pass.”
- Isaiah 65:24
Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear.
- Hebrews 7:25
Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.
- Jeremiah 32:17
Through
Jeremiah 7:12But go now to the place in Shiloh where I first made a dwelling for My Name, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 26:6
then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city an object of cursing among all the nations of the earth.’”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Samuel 4:10–11
So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and each man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great—thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell.
- Joshua 18:1
Then the whole congregation of Israel assembled at Shiloh and set up the Tent of Meeting there. And though the land was subdued before them,
- Jeremiah 26:6
About Judges
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; 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); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth.