38 Now there was an appointed sign H4150 between the men H376 of Israel H3478 and H5973 the liers in wait, H693 that they should make a great H7235 flame H4864 with smoke H6227 rise up H5927 out of the city. H5892
But my covenant H1285 will I establish H6965 with Isaac, H3327 which Sarah H8283 shall bear H3205 unto thee at this set time H4150 in the next H312 year. H8141
And when the men H582 of Ai H5857 looked H6437 behind H310 them, they saw, H7200 and, behold, the smoke H6227 of the city H5892 ascended up H5927 to heaven, H8064 and they had no power H3027 to flee H5127 this way or that way: H2008 and the people H5971 that fled H5127 to the wilderness H4057 turned back H2015 upon the pursuers. H7291
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Judges 20
Commentary on Judges 20 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 20
Into the book of the wars of the Lord the story of this chapter must be brought, but it looks as sad and uncomfortable as any article in all that history; for there is nothing in it that looks in the least bright or pleasant but the pious zeal of Israel against the wickedness of the men of Gibeah, which made it on their side a just and holy war; but otherwise the obstinacy of the Benjamites in protecting their criminals, which was the foundation of the war, the vast loss which the Israelites sustained in carrying on the war, and (though the righteous cause was victorious at last) the issuing of the war in the almost utter extirpation of the tribe of Benjamin, make it, from first to last, melancholy. And yet this happened soon after the glorious settlement of Israel in the land of promise, upon which one would have expected every thing to be prosperous and serene. In this chapter we have,
Jdg 20:1-11
Here is,
Jdg 20:12-17
Here is,
Jdg 20:18-25
We have here the defeat of the men of Israel in their first and second battle with the Benjamites.
Jdg 20:26-48
We have here a full account of the complete victory which the Israelites obtained over the Benjamites in the third engagement: the righteous cause was victorious at last, when the managers of it amended what had been amiss; for, when a good cause suffers, it is for want of good management. Observe then how the victory was obtained, and how it was pursued.