Judges 20 — Israel's early defeats against Benjamin were not deception by God but a means of bringing them to their knees

Israel asks God who should go first against Benjamin (Judges 20:18) — God says Judah. They fight and lose 22,000. They ask again — God says go up. They fight and lose 18,000. Then they fast, weep, and pray. Then God promises victory on the third attempt. This is not deception. God telling you to do something does not guarantee success by worldly standards. Failure brings people to their knees in ways victory never does. The whole of Judges is meant to demonstrate Israel's depravity and inability to maintain covenant faithfulness — there are no heroes, only God.