Now it cameabout afterthe deathof Joshuathat the sonsof Israelinquiredof the LORD,saying,"Whoshall goup firstfor us againstthe Canaanites,to fightagainst them?"
Moreover, Jehoshaphatsaidto the kingof Israel,"Pleaseinquirefirstfor the wordof the LORD."
Mosessaidto his father-in-law,"Becausethe peoplecometo me to inquireof God.
"You shall putin the breastpieceof judgmentthe Urimand the Thummim,and they shall be overAaron'sheartwhen he goesin beforethe LORD;and Aaronshall carrythe judgmentof the sonsof Israeloverhis heartbeforethe LORDcontinually.
"Moreover, he shall standbeforeEleazarthe priest,who shall inquirefor him by the judgmentof the Urimbeforethe LORD.At his commandthey shall goout and at his commandthey shall comein, [both] he and the sonsof Israelwith him, even allthe congregation."
But Manassehdid not takepossessionof Beth-sheanand its villages,or Taanachand its villages,or the inhabitantsof Dorand its villages,or the inhabitantsof Ibleamand its villages,or the inhabitantsof Megiddoand its villages;so the Canaanitespersistedin livingin that land.
I alsowill nolongerdriveout beforethem anyof the nationswhichJoshualeftwhen he died,
Then Joshuathe sonof Nun,the servantof the LORD,diedat the ageof one hundredand ten.
And they buriedhim in the territoryof his inheritancein Timnath-heres,in the hillcountryof Ephraim,northof MountGaash.
Now the sonsof Israelarose,wentup to Bethel,and inquiredof Godand said,"Whoshall goup firstfor us to battleagainstthe sonsof Benjamin?"Then the LORDsaid,"Judah[shall go up] first."
The sonsof Israelwentup and weptbeforethe LORDuntilevening,and inquiredof the LORD,saying,"Shall we againdrawnearfor battleagainstthe sonsof my brotherBenjamin?"And the LORDsaid,"Goup againsthim."
The sonsof Israelinquiredof the LORD(for the arkof the covenantof God[was] therein thosedays,
and Phinehasthe sonof Eleazar,Aaron'sson,stoodbeforeit to [minister] in thosedays),saying,"Shall I yetagaingoout to battleagainstthe sonsof my brotherBenjamin,orshall I cease?"And the LORDsaid,"Goup, for tomorrowI will deliverthem into your hand."
Therefore they inquiredfurtherof the LORD,"Has the mancomehereyet?"So the LORDsaid,"Behold,he is hidinghimselfby the baggage."