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.
Ver. 18. Which of us shall go up?] They asked not, Shall we go up? and shall we prosper? for of that they were over confident, because of the equity of their cause and their great strength. They slighted the Benjamites also for their paucity few in numbers and folly, as the Spaniards were wont to do the Portuguese for pocos y locos, that is, few and foolish. Hence they miscarried.