Judges 20:17

THE RELATIVE STRENGTH OF THE OPPOSING ARMIES (Judges 20:17-18)

"And the men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew the sword: all these were men of war. And the men of Israel arose, and went up to Bethel, and asked counsel of God; and they said, Who shall go for us first to battle against the children of Benjamin? And Jehovah said, Judah shall go up first."

A number of writers express criticism of Israel for their assumption that the war was justified without their asking Jehovah's approval, inquiring of God, only as to the tribe that should be the first to fight. Armerding, however, expressing disagreement with that view, stated that, "The confidence was justified."[13]

It is true, of course, that God was sorely displeased with Israel, as evidenced by his allowing the Benjamites to defeat them in successive battles. As Keil stated, however, "Their sin was not in the fact that they started the war, for the Law in Deuteronomy 22:22 actually required this. Their sin lay in their state of mind as they began the war."[14] We would call this their vainglorious overconfidence and self-reliance. After all, since the whole nation outnumbered the Benjamites in their available fighting men by 400,000 to 26,000, Israel felt very self-sufficient. With an advantage like that, who needed God's help! However, their tragic experience was another example that, "The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong" (Ecclesiastes 9:11).

"And the men of Israel went up to Bethel" (Judges 20:18). At this time, the tabernacle was located at Shiloh, but, "Israel did not go to Shiloh, because that place was too far from the seat of the war. The Ark of the Covenant had been brought to Bethel, and Phinehas the High Priest inquired of the Lord before the Ark of the Covenant by means of the Urim and Thummin (Judges 20:27-28)."[15] From this location, Israel could quite easily consult the will of God. "Bethel was only seven or eight miles from the seat of the war, only about half as far as Shiloh."[16] Having consulted the will of God, Israel proceeded with the war.