שופטים, פרק כ׳, פסוק י״ח

As the Israelites prepare for a bitter civil war against the tribe of Benjamin, they gather to seek divine guidance. They travel to the House of God, which at that time was located in the city of Shiloh, to consult the Urim and Thummim [מצודת דוד, מנחת שי, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. However, their approach to God in this critical moment is deeply flawed. It reflects an excessive self-confidence and a lack of the humility required when seeking divine direction, ultimately setting the stage for a painful defeat in their first battle.

When the Israelites ask who should be the first to lead the charge, their inquiry misses the mark entirely. The primary approach among commentators is that the people only asked which tribe should attack first, deliberately avoiding the truly critical questions of whether it was right to go to war at all and whether they would win or lose [רש"י, רלב"ג, מצודת דוד]. This omission stems from a dangerous reliance on their own military strength. Because the army of Benjamin was significantly smaller, the Israelites assumed they would not even need their full force and simply wanted to draw lots to see who would open the campaign [ביאור שטיינזלץ, מלבי"ם]. Alternatively, another view suggests the question was phrased indirectly due to internal doubt. The Israelites were unsure if the entire tribe of Benjamin deserved death for the crime committed in Gibeah. They hoped that if God opposed the war, He would instruct them not to attack, and if He named a specific tribe, it would serve as a subtle confirmation of Benjamin's guilt [אלשיך].

God provides a brief and limited response, instructing the tribe of Judah to go first. He answers exactly what was asked, offering no promise of victory or success [רש"י, מלבי"ם]. On a practical level, Judah is chosen because of its natural status as the tribe designated for leadership and command [אברבנאל, מלבי"ם]. Yet, beneath this practical assignment lies a layer of divine punishment. The Israelites are eager to fight for their social honor, which was severely damaged by the incident in Gibeah, but they had completely ignored God's honor when it was trampled earlier by the idolatry of the idol of Micah. As the strongest and most assertive tribe, Judah held the primary responsibility to protest that idolatry. Because Judah failed to take a stand then, they are sent to the front lines first to be punished and absorb the initial blow of the war [חומת אנך, מלבי"ם, אלשיך].

The flawed nature of their question, combined with their failure to address their own previous sins, leads directly to their defeat. Had they asked properly and been told they would lose, they could have avoided the battle entirely [רלב"ג]. It is only on their third attempt, after they genuinely repent, fast, weep, offer sacrifices, and formulate a precise question that includes the possibility of calling off the war, that they finally receive an explicit promise of victory from God [מלבי"ם].