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. (Judges 20:18)
This tribe had a reputation for being aggressive. They have held a position of pre-eminence from the beginning of the book (ch. 1:1, 2).
Arose.
Most likely only the leaders of the host would have journeyed to Shiloh to inquire before the ark regarding their plan of procedure. It is hardly to be considered that all the army of 400,000 men would march to the tabernacle to inquire of the Lord. However, the place may have been close at hand.
House of God.
Heb. beth-’el. If this word is left untranslated, the phrase reads “went up to Bethel,” and that is the way it is given in modern versions. Some think it better to translate the word than to use it as a proper name indicating the nearby city of Bethel, for the tabernacle was at this time in Shiloh, 9 1/2 mi. (15.2 km.) north of Bethel and 12 1/2 mi. (20 km.) north of Mizpeh, where the army had encamped. It was usually to Shiloh, to the tabernacle, that they went to ask counsel of God (see ch. 21:2, 4, 12). However, there is the possibility that the ark may have been temporarily removed from Shiloh, as later in the time of Eli (1 Sam. 4:3, 4).
Which of us?
Such a large army could not easily deploy around the small hill on which Gibeah was situated. They had decided that only one tribe would attack at a time.