Judges 20:28

Translations

Modern

…and Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, served before it.) The Israelites asked, “Should we again go out to battle against our brothers the Benjamites, or should we stop?” The LORD answered, “Fight, for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand.”

Traditional

And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the Lord said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.

Literal

And Phinehas son of Eleazar son of Aaron stood before it in those days, saying, “Shall I add again to go out into battle against the sons of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease?” And YHWH said, “Go up, for tomorrow I will give them into your hand.”

Latin

…et Phinees filius Eleazari filii Aaron præpositus domus. Consuluerunt igitur Dominum, atque dixerunt: Exire ultra debemus ad pugnam contra filios Benjamin fratres nostros, an quiescere? Quibus ait Dominus: Ascendite: cras enim tradam eos in manus vestras.

Original

Hebrew

English

…and Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, served before it.) The Israelites asked, “Should we again go out to battle against our brothers the Benjamites, or should we stop?” The LORD answered, “Fight, for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand.”

Notes

Judges 20:26–28

The pressure to admit defeat and return home was growing. The Israelites intensified their activities in the Lord's presence, seeking his guidance.

Judges 19:1–21:25

This second epilogue (see study note on Judges 17:1–21:25) shifts the focus from individuals to entire tribes. It begins with the outrage in the Benjamite town of Gibeah (Judges 19), which led to a civil war (Judges 20) and the near destruction of Benjamin. It then moves to the attempt to save the tribe from disappearing (Judges 21). The book ends with the familiar refrain: In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. This was what they did in the days of Gibea, perhaps the lowest point in Israel's history that Hosea, 400 years later, would compare to the depths Ephraim had reached (Hosea 9:9; 10:9).
The path was cleared for a shift from charismatic leadership to "covenant-charismatic kingship." This kingship combined living under the Lord’s covenant with the anointing of the spirit for ruling, as seen with Saul and David.

Judges 17:1–21:25

These two epilogues (Judges 17–18 and 19–21) show that inspired but unstructured leadership cannot last. As society moved toward chaos and civil war, the phrase, In those days there was no king in Israel appears four times. The phrase, everyone did what was right in his own eyes is added twice (Judges 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25). The era of inspired leadership declined and ended in disorder. Something important was missing.

Theme notes and profiles

Human Sexuality Social Chaos in Judges The Ark of the Covenant

Related verses

Judges 7:9
That night the LORD said to Gideon, “Get up and go down against the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand.
Joshua 24:33
Eleazar son of Aaron also died, and they buried him at Gibeah, which had been given to his son Phinehas in the hill country of Ephraim.
Deuteronomy 18:5
For the LORD your God has chosen Levi and his sons out of all your tribes to stand and minister in His name for all time.
Deuteronomy 10:8
At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to serve Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name, as they do to this day.
Joshua 7:7
“O, Lord GOD,” Joshua said, “why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to be destroyed? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan!
2 Samuel 5:19–24
So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?” “Go up,” replied the LORD, “for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hand.”
2 Samuel 6:3
They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart,
Judges 1:2
“Judah shall go up,” answered the LORD. “Indeed, I have delivered the land into their hands.”
1 Samuel 23:4–12
Once again, David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him: “Go at once to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”
Jeremiah 10:23
I know, O LORD, that a man’s way is not his own; no one who walks directs his own steps.
2 Samuel 6:7–12
And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down on the spot for his irreverence, and he died there beside the ark of God.
1 Samuel 14:37
So Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You give them into the hand of Israel?” But God did not answer him that day.

People

Aaron: Moses' brother, first high priest of Israel Benjamin: Youngest son of Jacob and Rachel Eleazar: Son of Aaron, high priest after his father Phinehas: Aaron's grandson; zealous priest who opposed idolatry

Glossary

Benjamin, Tribe of Bethel (Place), Bethelite Concubinage, Concubines Gibeah Jabesh, Jabesh-Gilead (Place) Judges, Book of Phinehas

Topics

Ark: in the Tabernacle--Called the Ark of the Covenant: An Oracle of God Ark: in the Tabernacle--Called the Ark of the Covenant: Set up in Shiloh Phinehas: Mediator in Behalf of the People The Armies of Israel: Before Going to War: Consulted the Lord The Jews: Obliged to Unite Against Enemies Tribe of Benjamin: Almost Annihilated for Protecting the Men of Gibeah Urim and Thummim: Consulting God By

Judges 20:28

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