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Joseph Benson’s Bible Commentary

Judges 20:18

The children of Israel arose Some sent in the name of all; and went up to the house of God To Shiloh, which was not far from Mizpeh; and asked counsel of God By Urim and Thummim, as they did Judges 1:1. The Targum has it, They asked counsel by the word of the Lord. Which of us shall go up first? This was asked to prevent emulations and contentions: but they do not ask whether they should go against them or not; nor yet do they seek to God for his help by prayer, and fasting, and sacrifice, as in all reason they ought to have done; but were confident of success, because of their great numbers and righteous cause.

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See also Judges 20:18 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Judges 20:18. _WENT 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...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    WENT UP TO THE HOUSE OF GOD - It should be “to Bethel.” At this time the ark was at Bethel (compare 1 Samuel 10:3), and not at Shiloh. It is not unlikely that though Shiloh was the chief residence of...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 20 THE HORRIBLE WAR _ 1. The Levite's story (Judges 20:1)_ 2. The uprising (Judges 20:8) 3. The slaying of the Israelites (Judges 20:12) 4. Benjamin exterminated except six hundred men ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    JUDGES 20. THE OUTRAGE AVENGED.The congregation (LXX Synagô gç) is a post-exilic term. The words as one man suggest a unity of action such as was not secured till long after the time of the Judges. Th...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    GOD. Hebrew. _Elohim._ App-4....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The Israelite host is mustered (Judges 20:17), and all is ready for an advance against Gibeah (Judges 20:19 f.), when the entire army marches off to Beth-el, 10 m. distance from Mizpah (if = Nebî Samw...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _Israel Defeated in Two Battles Judges 20:17-23_ 17 And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these were men of war. 18 And the children of I...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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,...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    Cp. 12. Bethel (RV) would be some four hours' distance to the N. After this journey the whole army marches back to Gibeah....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE SLAUGHTER OF THE BENJAMITES The Levite recounts his wrongs to a full assemblage of the tribes, who decree punishment upon Benjamin. Their first two attacks are unsuccessful, but the third results...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    LIFE WITHOUT LAW JUDGES _PHILIP SMITH_ CHAPTER 20 V1 Then all the *Israelites from Dan to Beersheba came to meet together. They also came from the area called Gilead. They all met at Mizpah, wher...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    TO THE HOUSE OF GOD. — Rather, _to Bethel_ (as in the LXX., Syriac, Arabic, and Chaldee). The reason why our translators adopted their translation is shown by the Vulgate, which renders it “to the hou...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יָּקֻ֜מוּ וַ יַּעֲל֣וּ בֵֽית־אֵל֮ וַ יִּשׁ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Judges 20:1; Judges 21:1 FROM JUSTICE TO WILD REVENGE Judges 19:1; Judges 20:1;...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The action of the Levite served its purpose. The nation was stirred momentarily to its center. A great moral passion flamed out. Underneath all the degeneracy was a true stratum of religious convictio...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    The other tribes called upon Benjamin to release to them the wicked men that they might be put to death in accord with the law (Deuteronomy 22:22). By refusing to release them, the rest of the tribe o...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And the children of Israel arose, and went up (k) 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 sa...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Silo. Hebrew simply "to Bethel," which the Septuagint, Syriac, Josephus, and others, explain of the city: but others generally understand "the house of God," at Silo, for which Bethel is placed, chap....

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    The disposition of the army of Israel, and then asking counsel from the Lord, is a sweet token for good. And, as the Lord appointed Judah to lead, who doth not see shadowed out in this, the early toke...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    My object being no more than a sketch, as most of you know, I desire to say but a few words on such of the Chapter s as bear a similar character to that which has been already pointed out in the early...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 17 THROUGH 21. The Chapter s that follow (17-21) are not comprised in the historical order of this book. They lift the veil to disclose some incidents of the...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AROSE,.... From Mizpeh, where they were assembled, having heard that the Benjaminites were gathered together to defend the men of Gibeah: AND WENT UP TO THE HOUSE OF GOD; t...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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,...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The Leuite in a generall assembly declareth his wrong. 8 The decree of the assembly. 12 The Beniamites being cited, make head against the Israelites. 18 The Israelites in two battels loose fourty...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And the children of Israel arose and went up to the house of God, to Bethel, where the ark had probably been brought for the duration of this expedition, AND ASKED COUNSEL OF GOD, through the Urim and...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE REVERSES OF ISRAEL...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, i.e. some sent in the name of all. TO THE HOUSE OF GOD, to wit, to Shiloh, which was not far from Mizpeh, where they were. WHICH OF US SHALL GO UP FIRST TO THE BATTLE? this the...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Judges 20:18 children H1121 Israel H3478 arose H6965 (H8799) up H5927 (H8799) house H1004 God H430 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘ And the children of Israel arose, and went up to Bethel, and sought counsel of God, and they said, “Who should first go up to battle for us against the children of Benjamin?” And the Yahweh said, “J...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Civil war in which the Benjamites are punished. CHARACTERS: God, a Levite, Phinehas. CONCLUSION: We cannot expect the presence of God with us in our enterprises unless we seek it by humblin...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Judges 20:11. _All the men of Israel were knit together._ Why had they not assembled against Micah and his chapel of gods? Then this and other evils might have been prevented. This was a just and nece...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _The men of Israel turned again upon the children of BenJamin._ FROM JUSTICE TO WILD REVENGE It may be asked how, while polygamy was practised among the Israelites, the sin of Gibeah could rouse such...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JUDGES—NOTE ON JUDGES 20:1 Gibeah was a Benjaminite city, and so an assembly of all Israel came together at Mizpah to take action against Benjamin (vv. Judges 20:1). The Benjaminites, who apparently w...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JUDGES—NOTE ON JUDGES 20:18 JUDAH... FIRST. As before (Judges 1:1), Judah took the lead....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    THE CRY FOR VENGEANCE (Judges 20:1.) _HOMILETICS_ 1. _This cry was universal_ (Judges 20:1). “From Dan to Beershebah, with Gilead.” There was not a dissentient voice. 2. _They were in earnest_ (Ju...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JUDGES 20:18 THE HOUSE OF GOD. In this rendering the A.V. follows the Vulgate, which has _in domum Dei, hoc est, in Silo. _But the Septuagint has Βαιθὴλ, and all the ancient authorities,...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now it had what he hoped it would have. It had a shock effect upon the tribes. They were horrified to get part of a torso, a leg, an arm, a head and they gathered together and this man told them the e...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Genesis 49:8; Joel 1:14; Joshua 18:1; Joshua 9:14; Judges 1:1;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Children of Israel — Some sent in the name of all. House of God — To Shiloh, which was not far from Mizpeh. Which — This was asked to prevent emulations and contentions: but they do not ask whether th...

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