Judges 20:27

“And the children of Israel inquired of the Lord, etc.] By the Word of the Lord, as the Targum, and which has the same expression in (<072018>Judges 20:18,23) for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days; in Shiloh, where the tabernacle was.”

“inquired: Jdg 20:18, Jdg 20:23; Num 27:21 the ark: Jos 18:1; Sa1 4:3, Sa1 4:4; Psa 78:60, Psa 78:61; Jer 7:12; The loss of two battles at length brought this stiff-necked people to enquire of the Lord; for all the company at this time met at Shiloh, and kept a day of fasting and prayer with great earnestness and solemnity. "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear." Isa 59:1 Judges 20:28”

“Having made these preparations, they inquired of the Lord whether they should continue the war, and received this reply: "Go up (against Benjamin); for to-morrow I will give it unto thy hand" (ידך, the hand of the congregation carrying on the war). To this the supplementary remark is appended, that the ark of the covenant was at Bethel in those days, and the high priest served before it. The expression "in those days" implies that the ark of the covenant was only temporarily at Bethel, and therefore had been brought thither from the tabernacle at Shiloh during this war. Judges 20:29”