To preface, Abravanel makes an assumption, regarding the first verse in Judges 1 – “that the Children of
Israel asked the LORD.” That is, he took it for granted that the nation consulted with the Urim and
Thummim. This is the breastplate which the priests wore when consulting God. In Biblical parlance, then, posing a question of national importance to God and getting an
answer from Him came down to seeking counsel or advice from the Urim and Thummim. Of course, the
pressing matter at hand referred to military leadership.
“And it came to pass after the death of Joshua, that the Children of Israel asked
the LORD, saying: Who shall go up for us first against the Canaanites, to fight
against them? And the LORD said: Judah shall go up. Behold, I have delivered
the land into his hand.”
After Joshua’s death, things changed. Front and center stood the question of succession: Who would
serve as the people’s top soldier, the Hebrews wanted to know? Abravanel teaches that we must
understand something here. Namely, given that the Holy Land had been allocated amongst the twelve
tribes, boundaries settled, why had the question of succession surfaced in the first place? Let each tribe
fend for themselves, Abravanel advances. Why, then, had there been a call for a centralized chain of
military command? Better, each tribe should take charge – and responsibility – for their security
requirements. Call it a divide and conquer approach to ousting Canaanite pockets, one tribe at a time.
Abravanel adds this. Imagine. Had all the tribes pursued those respective areas where enemies held out
– simultaneously – that would have delivered a death knell to stubborn resistance. Well, sort of, if we
assume best-case-scenario. That is, if all twelve tribes defeated their respective enemy, strongholds
then there would be no safe haven for Canaanites anywhere in the Holy Land, seeing that each tribe put
their foes to the sword. Thus, the enemy would have surrendered, scattered, or fled. Needless to say, no
Canaanite alliance would be forged as warriors hastily headed to the border. Point being: Much could be
said for decentralization, where each tribe fended for themselves. But if the argument for
decentralization had been carried out, with cross-the-board success, why ask for a central command?
Before Abravanel addresses that point, he shares something else. “And it came to pass after the death
of Joshua, that Children of Israel asked the LORD…” Why the prefatory remark regarding the timing of
the question – that it took place after Joshua’s passing? From the verse, it appears that Joshua had not
consulted the Urim and Thummim during his tenure.
Abravanel answers his two questions in order. Seemingly, decentralization had never been attempted –
at least in Joshua’s time. And so, while autonomous tribal military sounded good on paper, it had yet to
be established. Given that, the nation clamored to know who would lead this first battle (post Joshua)
because of the vital importance attributed to it; it set the tone for all ensuing battles. Had the Jews
collectively marched out to fight, and then been beat, the Gentiles would say that the Jews lost divine
support. In effect, that boost would lead the enemies to redouble efforts to wrest the Holy Land away
from the Children of Israel. However, if the Hebrews emerged victorious in this first confrontation, even
after Joshua had died, enemy forces would lose heart. They would understand that the Jews are a force
to be reckoned with, as previously. For that reason, Abravanel teaches, the people needed to know who
would lead the war efforts in this do-or-die campaign.
“And the LORD said: Judah shall go up.” Heaven gave the nod to Judah; he would command the troops.
When word got out that Judah would fight at the vanguard, fear would debilitate Canaanites. Now, one
Bible commentator posited that Joshua, too, had used the Urim and Thummim. Abravanel disagrees.
Here’s why.
Let us backup to the Book of Numbers (chapter 27). In it we find that God spoke to Moses, regarding
Joshua, his successor. “And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the
judgment of the Urim before the LORD.” However, Abravanel contends, the Maker desired to raise
Joshua’s prominence in the eyes of his brethren. One way God did that was by opening up prophetic
channels to Joshua. Even a superficial reading of the Book of Joshua reveals several verses featuring just
that – God’s explicit messaging to him. Since the Maker kept open lines of communication with Joshua,
there would be no need for him to call Eleazar the priest and have him pose a question for Joshua.
Yet, after Joshua’s death, owing to the fact that prophecy had dried up, so to speak, the Hebrews called
on the Urim and Thummim to settle matters of national importance, chief among them: Who would
lead the nation to war?