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.
The Israelites got up and went to the house of God to ask for God's guidance. They said, 'Which of our tribes should attack the tribe of Benjamin first?' And the LORD answered, 'Judah should go first.'
The Israelites are seeking God's direction about which tribe should lead their military campaign against Benjamin, and God tells them Judah should go first.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Judges, the Israelites were living in a time of frequent tribal conflicts and moral decline without a centralized king to maintain order. The specific context of this verse involves the other tribes of Israel responding to the horrific crimes committed by men in the city of Gibeah within the tribe of Benjamin, leading to a call for war. They sought divine guidance at Bethel to determine which tribe should lead the attack, reflecting their dependence on God for direction in battles.
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