Judges 20:18 net — The Israelites went up to Bethel and asked God,“Who should lead the charge against the Benjaminites?” The LORD said,“Ju…

NET Bible

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

— Judges 20:18, NET Bible

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Judges 20:18 in Other Translations

6 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."”

  • 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

That day the Benjaminites mustered from their cities twenty-six thousand sword-wielding soldiers, besides seven hundred well-trained soldiers from Gibeah.

16

Among this army were seven hundred specially-trained left-handed soldiers. Each one could sling a stone and hit even the smallest target.

17

The men of Israel(not counting Benjamin) had mustered four hundred thousand sword-wielding soldiers, every one an experienced warrior.

18

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

19

The Israelites got up the next morning and moved against Gibeah.

20

The men of Israel marched out to fight Benjamin; they arranged their battle lines against Gibeah.

21

The Benjaminites attacked from Gibeah and struck down twenty-two thousand Israelites that day.

Judges 20:18 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Judges 20:18 say?
Judges 20:18 in the NET Bible reads: “The Israelites went up to Bethel and asked God,“Who should lead the charge against the Benjaminites?” The LORD said,“Judah should lead.””
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 (NET): “The Israelites went up to Bethel and asked God,“Who should lead the charge against the Benjaminites?” The LORD said,“Judah should lead.”” 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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