1 Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass that the children of Israel asked the Lord, saying, “Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them?”

¹⁸ 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.”

²³ And the children of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until evening, 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.”