Judges 20:23 net — The Israelites went up and wept before the LORD until evening. They asked the LORD,“Should we again march out to fight…

NET Bible

"The Israelites went up and wept before the LORD until evening. They asked the LORD,“Should we again march out to fight the Benjaminites, our brothers?” The LORD said,“Attack them!”"

— Judges 20:23, NET Bible

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Judges 20:23 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “(And the children of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until even, and asked counsel of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the Lord said, Go up against him.)”

  • ASV

    “And the children of Israel went up and wept before Jehovah until even; and they asked of Jehovah, saying, Shall I again draw nigh to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And Jehovah said, Go up against him. ”

  • WEB

    “The children of Israel went up and wept before Yahweh until evening; and they asked of Yahweh, saying, "Shall I again draw near to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother?" Yahweh said, "Go up against him."”

  • DRB

    “Yet so that they first went up and wept before the Lord until night: and consulted him and said: Shall I go out any more to fight against the children of Benjamin my brethren or not? And he answered them: Go up against them, and join battle.”

  • BBE

    “Now the children of Israel went up, weeping before the Lord till evening, requesting the Lord and saying, Am I to go forward again to the fight against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the Lord said, Go up against him.”

  • KJVA

    “(And the children of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until even, and asked counsel of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the Lord said, Go up against him.)”

Judges 20 — Context

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.

22

The Israelite army took heart and once more arranged their battle lines, in the same place where they had taken their positions the day before.

23

The Israelites went up and wept before the LORD until evening. They asked the LORD,“Should we again march out to fight the Benjaminites, our brothers?” The LORD said,“Attack them!”

24

So the Israelites marched toward the Benjaminites the next day.

25

The Benjaminites again attacked them from Gibeah and struck down eighteen thousand sword-wielding Israelite soldiers.

26

So all the Israelites, the whole army, went up to Bethel. They wept and sat there before the LORD; they did not eat anything that day until evening. They offered up burnt sacrifices and tokens of peace to the LORD.

Judges 20:23 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Judges 20:23 say?
Judges 20:23 in the NET Bible reads: “The Israelites went up and wept before the LORD until evening. They asked the LORD,“Should we again march out to fight the Benjaminites, our brothers?” The LORD said,“Attack them!””
Where is Judges 20:23 in the Bible?
Judges 20:23 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Judges, chapter 20, verse 23.
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 20:23.
What translation should I read Judges 20:23 in?
Judges 20:23 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 20:23?
Judges 20:23 reads (NET): “The Israelites went up and wept before the LORD until evening. They asked the LORD,“Should we again march out to fight the Benjaminites, our brothers?” The LORD said,“Attack them!”” 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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