Judges 20:24Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

When they engaged in combat a second time at the direction of the Lord, they placed their faith in His assistance and fought valiantly; nevertheless, they once again faced defeat on the battlefield, leading to the deaths of eighteen thousand Israelites. How can this situation be understood? The Lord explicitly instructs them twice to go forth and exact justice on those who oppose His commands, yet both times the armies suffer defeat at the hands of their enemies, resulting in the loss of forty thousand lives. Who can truly grasp or rationalize these divine commands? (Refer to Judges 20:35 for further insight)