Judges 20:18

The 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.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The Israelite army mobilized in Judges 20:17 travels to Bethel to consult Yahweh before engaging the tribe of Benjamin. Yahweh answers their direct question about which tribe must lead the initial assault.

The words — וַ/יִּשְׁאֲל֣וּ (va/i.yish.'a.Lu) means "they asked" or "they inquired," coupled with בֵ/אלֹהִים֒ (ve./lo.Him) meaning "by God," which marks the specific act of seeking divine direction rather than casual prayer.

The thread — This consultation pattern appears in Numbers 27:21, where leadership seeks guidance through the priest and Urim, and reappears in Judges 20:23 and 20:26 as the same army repeatedly seeks Yahweh's direction before and after battle.

Why it lands — The text records that military action follows divine specification, requiring the reader to acknowledge that collective force without explicit authorization remains incomplete.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיָּקֻ֜מוּva/i.ya.Ku.muand/ they arose וַיַּעֲל֣וּva/i.ya.'a.Luand/ they went up בֵֽית־veit-Beth-אֵל֮'el-el וַיִּשְׁאֲל֣וּva/i.yish.'a.Luand/ they asked בֵאלֹהִים֒ve./lo.Himby/ God וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙va/i.yo.me.Ruand/ they said בְּנֵ֣יbe.Nei[the] people of יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElIsrael מִ֚יmiwho?יַעֲלֶה־ya.'a.leh-will he go upלָּ֣נוּLa./nufor <the>/ usבַתְּחִלָּ֔הva./te.chi.Lahat the/ first לַמִּלְחָמָ֖הla./mil.cha.Mahto the/ battle עִם־'im-with בְּנֵ֣יbe.Nei[the] descendants of בִנְיָמִ֑ןvin.ya.MinBenjamin וַיֹּ֥אמֶרva/i.Yo.merand/ he said יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahweh יְהוּדָ֥הye.hu.DahJudah בַתְּחִלָּֽה׃va./te.chi.Lah[will be] at the/ first

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

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 go out and come in.”
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 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.
Genesis 49:8 Judah, your brothers shall praise you. Your hand shall be on the necks of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down to you.
Numbers 27:5 So Moses brought their case before the LORD,
Joshua 9:14 Then the men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not seek the counsel of the LORD.
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,
Judges 1:1 After the death of Joshua, the Israelites inquired of the LORD, “Who will be the first to go up and fight for us against the Canaanites?”
Judges 18:31 So they set up for themselves Micah’s graven image, and it was there the whole time the house of God was in Shiloh.
Judges 19:18 The Levite replied, “We are traveling from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote hill country of Ephraim, where I am from. I went to Bethlehem in Judah, and now I am going to the house of the LORD; but no one has taken me into his home,

Places named

Bethel 1