Judges 20:36
34 Then 10,000 select men from all Israel made a frontal assault against Gibeah, and the battle was fierce. But the Benjamites did not realize that disaster was upon them.
35 The LORD defeated Benjamin in the presence of Israel, and on that day the Israelites slaughtered 25,100 Benjamites, all armed with swords.
Then the Benjamites realized they had been defeated. Now the men of Israel had retreated before Benjamin because they were relying on the ambush they had set against Gibeah.
37 The men in ambush rushed suddenly against Gibeah; they advanced and put the whole city to the sword.
38 The men of Israel had arranged a signal with the men in ambush: When they sent up a great cloud of smoke from the city,
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Then the Benjamites realized they had been defeated. Now the men of Israel had retreated before Benjamin because they were relying on the ambush they had set against Gibeah.
- KJV
- 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.
- WEB
- So the children of Benjamin saw that they were struck, for the men of Israel yielded to Benjamin because they trusted the ambushers whom they had set against Gibeah.
- ASV
- 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.
- DARBY
- And the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten. And the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin, because they trusted to the ambush that they had set against Gibeah.
- BLB
- And the sons of Benjamin saw that they were defeated. And the men of Israel had given ground to Benjamin, because they trusted in those lying in wait whom they had set against Gibeah.
- ÅB
- Benjamins barn tenkte først at Israels menn var slått; for de trakk seg tilbake for Benjamin, idet de satte sin lit til det bakhold de hadde lagt mot Gibea.
- OTB
- Benjaminittene så at de var beseiret. Israels menn hadde gitt vei foran Benjamin fordi de stolte på bakholdet de hadde satt nær Gibea.
- B1930
- Benjamins barn tenkte først at Israels menn var slått; for de trakk sig tilbake for Benjamin, idet de satte sin lit til det bakhold de hadde lagt mot Gibea.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Joshua 8:15–29
Joshua and all Israel let themselves be beaten back before them, and they fled toward the wilderness.
Read in context