Judges 20:39

And when the sons of Israel set in that battle saw this; for the sons of Benjamin guessed them to flee, and they followed busilier, when thirty men of their host were slain; (And so the Israelites set in the battle saw this; but the Benjaminites guessed them to flee, and they followed them more busily, for they had already killed thirty Israelites;)

Wycliffe Modern Spelling

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

38Soothly the sons of Israel had given a sign to them which they had set in ambushments, that after that they had taken the city, they should kindle (a) fire, and that by smoke ascending on high, they should show the city (to be) taken. (And the Israelites had arranged a sign, or a signal, from those whom they had set in ambush, which was that after they had taken the city, they would kindle a fire, and that by the smoke going up on high, they would show that the city had been taken.)

40and they saw as a pillar of smoke go up from the city. And also Benjamin beholding behind, when he saw his city taken, and the flames be borne on high, (yea, the Israelites saw the pillar of smoke go up from the city. And then the Benjaminites looking behind, also saw that their city had been taken, and the flames of it to be borne up on high.)

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Matthew Henry on Judges 20:27-48

The Defeat of the Benjamites. ( b. c. 1410.) 26 Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the Lord , and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord . 27 And the children of Israel enquired of the Lord , (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, 28 And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to… Read the whole commentary →

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Study Judges 20:39