Judges 20:18

20:18 The Israelites went up to Bethel ¹  and asked God, ²  “Who should lead the charge against the Benjaminites?” ³  The Lord said, “Judah should lead.”

Judges 20:23

20:23 The Israelites went up and wept before the Lord until evening. They asked the Lord, “Should we ⁴  again march out to fight ⁵  the Benjaminites, our brothers?” ⁶  The Lord said, “Attack them!” ⁷ 

Numbers 27:21

27:21 And he will stand before Eleazar the priest, who ⁸  will seek counsel ⁹  for him before the Lord by the decision of the Urim. ¹⁰  At his command ¹¹  they will go out, and at his command they will come in, he and all the Israelites with him, the whole community.”

¹ map For location see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3.

² tn Heb “They arose and went up to Bethel and asked God, and the Israelites said.”

³ tn Heb “Who should go up for us first for battle against the sons of Benjamin?”

⁴ tn Heb “I” (collective singular).

⁵ tn Heb “approach for battle.”

⁶ tn Heb “my brother” (collective singular).

⁷ tn Heb “Go up against him” (collective singular).

⁸ tn The passage simply has “and he will ask,” but Eleazar is clearly the subject now.

⁹ tn Heb “ask.”

¹⁰ sn The new leader would not have the privilege that Moses had in speaking to God face to face. Rather, he would have to inquire of the Lord through the priest, and the priest would seek a decision by means of the Urim. The Urim and the Thummim were the sacred lots that the priest had in his pouch, the “breastplate” as it has traditionally been called. Since the Law had now been fully established, there would be fewer cases that the leader would need further rulings. Now it would simply be seeking the Lord’s word for matters such as whether to advance or not. The size, shape or substance of these objects is uncertain. See further C. Van Dam, The Urim and Thummim.

¹¹ tn Heb “mouth,” meaning what he will say.