But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up against it by lot.
Parallel translations
- WEB But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah: we will go up against it by lot;
- KJV But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it;
- BSB Now this is what we will do to Gibeah: We will go against it as the lot dictates.
- NKJV but now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah: We will go up against it by lot.
- NLT Instead, this is what we will do to Gibeah; we will draw lots to decide who will attack it.
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 resolves to go up against Gibeah, choosing their course by lot. They commit to confronting the guilty town.
Overview
The assembly determines to attack Gibeah and casts lots to order their action, a customary way of seeking God's direction. Their plan moves from deliberation to military resolve. The decision sets in motion the costly civil war that fills the rest of the chapter.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Jonah 1:7They all said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know who is responsible for this evil that is on us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.
- Acts 1:26They drew lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles.
- Neh 11:1The princes of the people lived in Jerusalem. The rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts in the other cities.
- Josh 14:2by the lot of their inheritance, as Yahweh commanded by Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half-tribe.
- Prov 16:33The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from Yahweh.
- 1 Chr 24:5Thus were they divided impartially by drawing lots; for there were princes of the sanctuary, and princes of God, both of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar.
- 1 Sam 14:41–42Therefore Saul said to Yahweh, the God of Israel, “Show the right.” Jonathan and Saul were chosen, but the people escaped.
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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 20:9 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.