Judges 20:41
39 the men of Israel would turn in the battle. When the Benjamites had begun to strike them down, killing about thirty men of Israel, they said, “They are defeated before us as in the first battle.”
40 But when the column of smoke began to go up from the city, the Benjamites looked behind them and saw the whole city going up in smoke.
Then the men of Israel turned back on them, and the men of Benjamin were terrified when they realized that disaster had come upon them.
42 So they fled before the men of Israel toward the wilderness, but the battle overtook them, and the men coming out of the cities struck them down there.
43 They surrounded the Benjamites, pursued them, and easily overtook them in the vicinity of Gibeah on the east.
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 men of Israel turned back on them, and the men of Benjamin were terrified when they realized that disaster had come upon them.
- KJV
- And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them.
- WEB
- The men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed; for they saw that disaster had come on them.
- ASV
- And the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed; for they saw that evil was come upon them.
- DARBY
- Then the men of Israel turned back, and the men of Benjamin were amazed, for they saw that disaster was come upon them.
- BLB
- And the men of Israel turned back, and the men of Benjamin were alarmed, for they saw that disaster had come upon them.
- ÅB
- Da nå Israels menn vendte seg om, ble Benjamins menn forferdet, for de så at ulykken var like inn på dem.
- OTB
- Da vendte israelittene seg mot dem, og benjaminittene ble skremt fordi de innså at katastrofen hadde kommet over dem.
- B1930
- Da nu Israels menn vendte sig om, blev Benjamins menn forferdet, for de så at ulykken var like inn på dem.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Luke 21:26
Men will faint from fear and anxiety over what is coming upon the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
Read in context1 Thessalonians 5:3
While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
Read in contextLuke 17:27–28
People were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.
Read in context2 Peter 2:12
These men are like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be captured and destroyed. They blaspheme in matters they do not understand, and like such creatures, they too will be destroyed.
Read in contextRevelation 6:15–17
Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the commanders, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and free man hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains.
Read in contextExodus 15:9–10
The enemy declared, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake. I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them. I will draw my sword; my hand will destroy them.’
Read in contextIsaiah 33:14
The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling grips the ungodly: “Who of us can dwell with a consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting flames?”
Read in contextIsaiah 13:8–9
Terror, pain, and anguish will seize them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look at one another, their faces flushed with fear.
Read in context