Judges 20:26

and all the people Either transl. even all the people, or omit as a doublet of all the children of Israel. Cf. Judges 20:22.

offered burnt offerings and peace offerings Similarly under circumstances of distress Jdg 21:4, 1 Samuel 7:9; 1 Samuel 13:9. The significance of the burnt offeringlay in its being wholly made over to the Deity upon the altar; the special feature of the peace(or safety, or thank) offeringwas the sacred meal, shared by the Deity and the worshippers.

27b, 28a. The words in brackets give an interesting specimen of the theoretical treatment of history. To some later editor or scribe it seemed highly irregular that all Israel should offer sacrifices in any other place than the sanctuary of the ark. Accordingly the parenthesis explains that the ark in these days was at Beth-el! i.e. it must have been temporarily removed from Shiloh (Joshua 18:1 P, 1 Samuel 4): and the sanctuary of the ark must have been served by the only legitimate priesthood (cf. Numbers 25:7; Numbers 31:6 P). For a similar adaptation of ancient practice to later theory cf. 2 Chronicles 1:3-6 with 1 Kings 3:4. If the present passage had come from the author of A, it would have stood earlier in the narrative, when the first enquiry of the oracle is mentioned.

the ark of the covenant of God So 1 Samuel 4:4; 2 Samuel 15:24; 1 Chronicles 16:6 (all). The phrase ark of the covenantis common in D and Dtc. passages, though occasionally found in J and JE.

stood before it The usual expression is stood before Him, Jehovah: Deuteronomy 10:8; Deuteronomy 18:7; Ezekiel 44:15; 2 Chronicles 29:11.

to-morrowetc.] Not until the Israelites have made their peace with God (Judges 20:23; Judges 20:26) are they to be allowed to win a victory.