36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah.
37 And the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers in wait drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.
38 Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the city.
39 And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle.
40 But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven.
41 And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them.
42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.
43 Thus they inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising.
44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valor.
45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them.
46 So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valor.
36 So the children H1121 of Benjamin H1144 saw H7200 that they were smitten: H5062 for the men H376 of Israel H3478 gave H5414 place H4725 to the Benjamites, H1145 because they trusted H982 unto the liers in wait H693 which they had set H7760 beside Gibeah. H1390
37 And the liers in wait H693 hasted, H2363 and rushed H6584 upon Gibeah; H1390 and the liers in wait H693 drew themselves along, H4900 and smote H5221 all the city H5892 with the edge H6310 of the sword. H2719
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
39 And when the men H376 of Israel H3478 retired H2015 in the battle, H4421 Benjamin H1144 began H2490 to smite H5221 and kill H2491 of the men H376 of Israel H3478 about thirty H7970 persons: H376 for they said, H559 Surely H5062 they are smitten down H5062 before H6440 us, as in the first H7223 battle. H4421
40 But when the flame H4864 began H2490 to arise up H5927 out of the city H5892 with a pillar H5982 of smoke, H6227 the Benjamites H1145 looked H6437 behind H310 them, and, behold, the flame H3632 of the city H5892 ascended up H5927 to heaven. H8064
41 And when the men H376 of Israel H3478 turned again, H2015 the men H376 of Benjamin H1144 were amazed: H926 for they saw H7200 that evil H7451 was come H5060 upon them.
42 Therefore they turned H6437 their backs before H6440 the men H376 of Israel H3478 unto the way H1870 of the wilderness; H4057 but the battle H4421 overtook H1692 them; and them which came out of the cities H5892 they destroyed H7843 in the midst H8432 of them.
43 Thus they inclosed H3803 the Benjamites H1145 round about, H3803 and chased H7291 them, and trode them down H1869 with ease H4496 over against H5227 Gibeah H1390 toward the sunrising. H4217 H8121
44 And there fell H5307 of Benjamin H1144 eighteen H8083 H6240 thousand H505 men; H376 all these were men H582 of valour. H2428
45 And they turned H6437 and fled H5127 toward the wilderness H4057 unto the rock H5553 of Rimmon: H7417 and they gleaned H5953 of them in the highways H4546 five H2568 thousand H505 men; H376 and pursued H1692 hard after H310 them unto Gidom, H1440 and slew H5221 two thousand H505 men H376 of them.
46 So that all which fell H5307 that day H3117 of Benjamin H1144 were twenty H6242 and five H2568 thousand H505 men H376 that drew H8025 the sword; H2719 all these were men H582 of valour. H2428
36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten; for the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin, because they trusted unto the liers-in-wait whom they had set against Gibeah.
37 And the liers-in-wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers-in-wait drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.
38 Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers-in-wait was, that they should make a great cloud of smoke rise up out of the city.
39 And the men of Israel turned in the battle, and Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons; for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle.
40 But when the cloud began to arise up out of the city in a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them; and, behold, the whole of the city went up `in smoke' to heaven.
41 And the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed; for they saw that evil was come upon them.
42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle followed hard after them; and they that came out of the cities destroyed them in the midst thereof.
43 They inclosed the Benjamites round about, `and' chased them, `and' trod them down at `their' resting-place, as far as over against Gibeah toward the sunrising.
44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these `were' men of valor.
45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men, and followed hard after them unto Gidom, and smote of them two thousand men.
46 So that all who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these `were' men of valor.
36 And the sons of Benjamin see that they have been smitten -- and the men of Israel give place to Benjamin, for they have trusted unto the ambush which they had set against Gibeah,
37 and the ambush have hasted, and push against Gibeah, and the ambush draweth itself out, and smiteth the whole of the city by the mouth of the sword.
38 And there was the appointed sign to the men of Israel with the ambush -- their causing to go up a great volume of smoke from the city.
39 And the men of Israel turn in battle, and Benjamin hath begun to smite the wounded among the men of Israel, about thirty men, for they said, `Surely they are utterly smitten before us, as `at' the first battle;
40 and the volume hath begun to go up from the city -- a pillar of smoke -- and Benjamin turneth behind, and lo, gone up hath the perfection of the city toward the heavens.
41 And the men of Israel have turned, and the men of Benjamin are troubled, for they have seen that the evil hath stricken against them --
42 and they turn before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness, and the battle hath followed them; and those who `are' from the city are destroying them in their midst;
43 they have compassed the Benjamites -- they have pursued them -- with ease they have trodden them down till over-against Gibeah, at the sun-rising.
44 And there fall of Benjamin eighteen thousand men -- the whole of these `are' men of valour;
45 and they turn and flee toward the wilderness, unto the rock of Rimmon; and they glean of them in the highways five thousand men, and follow after them unto Gidom, and smite of them two thousand men.
46 And all those falling of Benjamin are twenty and five thousand men drawing sword, on that day -- the whole of these `are' men of valour;
36 So the Benjaminites saw that they were defeated. The men of Israel gave ground to Benjamin, because they trusted to the men in ambush whom they had set against Gib'e-ah.
37 And the men in ambush made haste and rushed upon Gib'e-ah; the men in ambush moved out and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.
38 Now the appointed signal between the men of Israel and the men in ambush was that when they made a great cloud of smoke rise up out of the city
39 the men of Israel should turn in battle. Now Benjamin had begun to smite and kill about thirty men of Israel; they said, "Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle."
40 But when the signal began to rise out of the city in a column of smoke, the Benjaminites looked behind them; and behold, the whole of the city went up in smoke to heaven.
41 Then the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed, for they saw that disaster was close upon them.
42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel in the direction of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them, and those who came out of the cities destroyed them in the midst of them.
43 Cutting down the Benjaminites, they pursued them and trod them down from Nohah as far as opposite Gib'e-ah on the east.
44 Eighteen thousand men of Benjamin fell, all of them men of valor.
45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon; five thousand men of them were cut down in the highways, and they were pursued hard to Gidom, and two thousand men of them were slain.
46 So all who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty-five thousand men that drew the sword, all of them men of valor.
36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were struck; for the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin, because they trusted to the liers-in-wait whom they had set against Gibeah.
37 The liers-in-wait hurried, and rushed on Gibeah; and the liers-in-wait drew themselves along, and struck all the city with the edge of the sword.
38 Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers-in-wait was that they should make a great cloud of smoke rise up out of the city.
39 The men of Israel turned in the battle, and Benjamin began to strike and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons; for they said, Surely they are struck down before us, as in the first battle.
40 But when the cloud began to arise up out of the city in a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them; and, behold, the whole of the city went up in smoke to the sky.
41 The men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed; for they saw that evil had come on them.
42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel to the way of the wilderness; but the battle followed hard after them; and those who came out of the cities destroyed them in the midst of it.
43 They enclosed the Benjamites round about, [and] chased them, [and] trod them down at [their] resting-place, as far as over against Gibeah toward the sunrise.
44 There fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these [were] men of valor.
45 They turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men, and followed hard after them to Gidom, and struck of them two thousand men.
46 So that all who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty-five thousand men who drew the sword; all these [were] men of valor.
36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were overcome: and the men of Israel had given way before Benjamin, putting their faith in the watchers who were to make the surprise attack on Gibeah.
37 And the watchers, rushing on Gibeah and overrunning it, put all the town to the sword without mercy.
38 Now the sign fixed between the men of Israel and those making the surprise attack was that when they made a pillar of smoke go up from the town,
39 The men of Israel were to make a turn about in the fight. And Benjamin had overcome and put to death about thirty of the men of Israel, and were saying, Certainly they are falling back before us as in the first fight.
40 Then the sign went up out of the town in the pillar of smoke, and the Benjamites, turning back, saw all the town going up in smoke to heaven.
41 And the men of Israel had made a turn about, and the men of Benjamin were overcome with fear, for they saw that evil had overtaken them.
42 So turning their backs on the men of Israel, they went in the direction of the waste land; but the fight overtook them; and those who came out of the town were heading them off and putting them to the sword.
43 And crushing Benjamin down, they went after them, driving them from Nohah as far as the east side of Gibeah.
44 Eighteen thousand men of Benjamin came to their death, all strong men of war.
45 And turning, they went in flight to the rock of Rimmon in the waste land: and on the highways five thousand of them were cut off by the men of Israel, who, pushing on hard after them to Geba, put to death two thousand more.
46 So twenty-five thousand of the swordsmen of Benjamin came to their end that day, all strong men of war.
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.