wept

Judges 20:26,27 Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came to the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD...

Psalm 78:34-36 When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and inquired early after God...

Hosea 5:15 I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offense, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.

And the It seems most evident that the Israelites did not seek the protection of God. When they `went to the house of God,' ver

Judges 20:18 And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said...

it was not to enquire concerning the {expediency} of the war, nor of its {success}, but which of the tribes should begin the attack: and the question is, `Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother?' Having so much {right} on their side, they had no doubt of the {justice} of their cause, and the {propriety} of their conduct; and having such a {superiority} of numbers, they had no doubt of {success}. But God humbled them, and delivered them into the hands of their enemies; and shewed them that the race was not to the swift, not the battle to the strong.