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Scripture focus
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.
Judges 20:39 — KJV
Bible study online
Judges 20:39
King James Version (KJV)
“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody
Judges 20:39
Verse 39 of 48
Commentary
Commentary on Judges 20:39
Theological / DevotionalWhen the men of Israel. It seems to make better sense to include the first part of v. 39 with the last part of v. 38 as a description of the plan that the Israelites agreed upon. The two clauses may then be understood as stating, “They should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the city and then the men of Israel should turn in battle.”
Having stated the plan, the author of the book takes up the account of the sequence of events with the words “Benjamin began to smite.” He then describes how the scheme worked out, exactly as planned (vs. 40, 41). The Benjamites saw the smoke of their city ascending behind them, and about the same time the heretofore fleeing Israelite forces suddenly turned in their flight and began to offer stiff resistance. Then the men of Benjamin recognized that they had been tricked and that they were caught between the Israelite forces with little chance of escape.
By SdaBc