Judges 20:18 nasb — Now the sons of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and inquired of God and said, "Who shall go up first for us to battle…

NASB

"Now the sons of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and inquired of God and said, "Who shall go up first for us to battle against the sons of Benjamin?" Then the LORD said, "Judah shall go up first.""

— Judges 20:18, NASB

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Judges 20:18 in Other Translations

7 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “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.”

  • ASV

    “And the children of Israel arose, and went up to Beth-el, and asked counsel of God; and they said, Who shall go up for us first to battle against the children of Benjamin? And Jehovah said, Judah shall go up first. ”

  • WEB

    “The children of Israel arose, and went up to Bethel, and asked counsel of God; and they said, "Who shall go up for us first to battle against the children of Benjamin?" Yahweh said, "Judah [shall go up] first."”

  • NET

    “The Israelites went up to Bethel and asked God,“Who should lead the charge against the Benjaminites?” The LORD said,“Judah should lead.””

  • DRB

    “And they arose and came to the house of God, that is, to Silo: and they consulted God, and said: Who shall be in our army the first to go to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the Lord answered them: Let Juda be your leader.”

  • BBE

    “And they got up and went up to Beth-el to get directions from God, and the children of Israel said, Who is to be the first to go up to the fight against the children of Benjamin? And the Lord said, Judah is to go up first.”

  • KJVA

    “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.”

Judges 20 — Context

15

From the cities on that day the sons of Benjamin were numbered, 26,men who draw the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah who were numbered, 700 choice men.

16

Out of all these people choice men were left-handed; each one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.

17

Then the men of Israel besides Benjamin were numbered, 400,men who draw the sword; all these were men of war.

18

Now the sons of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and inquired of God and said, "Who shall go up first for us to battle against the sons of Benjamin?" Then the LORD said, "Judah shall go up first."

19

So the sons of Israel arose in the morning and camped against Gibeah.

20

The men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin, and the men of Israel arrayed for battle against them at Gibeah.

21

Then the sons of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and felled to the ground on that day 22,men of Israel.

Judges 20:18 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Judges 20:18 say?
Judges 20:18 in the NASB reads: “Now the sons of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and inquired of God and said, "Who shall go up first for us to battle against the sons of Benjamin?" Then the LORD said, "Judah shall go up first."”
Where is Judges 20:18 in the Bible?
Judges 20:18 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Judges, chapter 20, verse 18.
Who wrote Judges?
Judges is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Samuel). It was written c. 1050–1000 BC.
What is the book of Judges about?
Judges chronicles the cycle of apostasy, oppression, and deliverance that defined Israel between Joshua and Samuel. Through twelve raised-up deliverers — including Deborah, Gideon, and Samson — God repeatedly rescues a people who keep doing what is right in their own eyes.
What are the major themes of Judges?
Judges explores themes including Apostasy, Deliverance, Cycles of Sin, Need for a King, Mercy. These themes shape the meaning and context of Judges 20:18.
What translation should I read Judges 20:18 in?
Judges 20:18 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Judges 20:18?
Judges 20:18 reads (NASB): “Now the sons of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and inquired of God and said, "Who shall go up first for us to battle against the sons of Benjamin?" Then the LORD said, "Judah shall go up first."” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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