And the Israelites inquired of the LORD. (In those days the ark of the covenant of God was there,
Parallel translations
- WEB The children of Israel asked Yahweh (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,
- KJV And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,
- NKJV So the children of Israel inquired of the Lord (the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,
- NASB And the sons of Israel inquired of the Lord (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,
- NLT The Israelites went up seeking direction from the Lord. (In those days the Ark of the Covenant of God was in Bethel,
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Israel inquired of Yahweh, for the ark of the covenant was at Bethel in those days.
Overview
The narrator notes that the ark, the visible sign of God's covenant presence and throne, was present, lending weight to the inquiry. This detail also dates the events early in the period of the judges, near the time of the conquest generation. The ark points forward to Christ, in whom God truly dwells among his people and through whom we draw near to God (Hebrews 9:11-12).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- 1 Sam 4:3–4When the troops returned to the camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why has the LORD brought defeat on us before the Philistines today? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh, so that it may go with us to save us from the hand of our enemies.”
- Josh 18:1Then the whole congregation of Israel assembled at Shiloh and set up the Tent of Meeting there. And though the land was subdued before them,
- Judg 20:18The Israelites set out, went up to Bethel, and inquired of God, “Who of us shall go up first to fight against the Benjamites?” “Judah will be first,” the LORD replied.
- Num 27:21He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel for him before the LORD by the judgment of the Urim. At his command, he and all the Israelites with him—the entire congregation—will go out and come in.”
- Judg 20:23They went up and wept before the LORD until evening, inquiring of Him, “Should we again draw near for battle against our brothers the Benjamites?” And the LORD answered, “Go up against them.”
- Ps 78:60–61He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent He had pitched among men.
- Isa 59:1Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear.
- Jer 7:12But go now to the place in Shiloh where I first made a dwelling for My Name, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Israel's cycle of sin and rescue through flawed deliverers cries out for a Savior who never fails — the true and final Judge and Deliverer who saves his people not for a season but forever.
How Judges 20:27 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.