| Judges 20:18
| 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.
| Silo. Hebrew simply "to Bethel," which the Septuagint, Syriac, Josephus, and others, explain of the city: but others generally understand "the house of God," at Silo, for which Bethel is placed, Judges 21:2, 9, and 12. Phinees resided near the tabernacle, and was desired to consult God. --- Juda is not the name of a man, but of the tribe; (Calmet) and probably Othoniel would have the chief command. (Salien) --- The Israelites do not ask whether they ought to make war on their brethren, etc., but only desire to know which tribe shall begin the attack, Judges 1:1., and 10:18. They manifest a degree of presumption, which God soon chastised, (Calmet) as well as the idolatry of Dan, etc., which they had neglected to punish, though they had an express command to do it, Deuteronomy 13:12. (Salien) --- They were full of pride, and only concerned to revenge their own wrongs. (Haydock)
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