Judges 20:26

26 And all the sons of Israel go up, even all the people, and come in to Beth-El, and weep, and sit there before Jehovah, and fast on that day till the evening, and cause to ascend burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before Jehovah.

Judges 20:26 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 20:26

Then all the children of Israel and all the people went up,
and came unto the house of God
This looks as if the whole body of the army, with other people from parts adjacent, went up to the tabernacle of God in Shiloh:

and wept and sat there before the Lord;
not only wept, but continued weeping, and that not merely for their defeat, but for their sins, since it follows:

and fasted that day until even;
afflicted their bodies with fasting, which was a token of the humiliation of their souls for their sins:

and offered burnt offering's and peace offerings before the Lord,
to make atonement for their sins, and to implore success on their arms.

Judges 20:26 In-Context

24 And the sons of Israel draw near unto the sons of Benjamin on the second day,

25 and Benjamin cometh out to meet them from Gibeah on the second day, and destroy among the sons of Israel again eighteen thousand men -- to the earth; all these are drawing sword.

26 And all the sons of Israel go up, even all the people, and come in to Beth-El, and weep, and sit there before Jehovah, and fast on that day till the evening, and cause to ascend burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before Jehovah.

27 And the sons of Israel ask of Jehovah, -- and there [is] the ark of the covenant of God in those days,

28 and Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, is standing before it in those days -- saying, `Do I add again to go out to battle with the sons of Benjamin, my brother, or do I cease?' And Jehovah saith, `Go up, for to-morrow I give him into thy hand.'