Judges 20:36
in Judges 20Then 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
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.
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.
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This verse in Judges 20
Commentary
9 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
The LORD defeated Benjamin in the presence of Israel
on Judges 20:35-36
The narrator gives the outcome to God before the tactics are described, saying “The LORD defeated Benjamin in the presence of Israel”. Keil and Barnes read verses 36 to 46 as a fuller telling of the same battle. Israel “had retreated before Benjamin” after Benjamin fell at verse 35.
This site's exposition
Then the Benjamites realized they had been defeated
The men of Israel give ground, trusting the ambush to do its work. Wesley, Gill and Clarke all observe that Israel, though promised victory at verse 28, still laid its plans with care. Promise and stratagem work together in this battle.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
The war remained doubtful with an uncertain issue, but in the third engagement the people of Benjamin were delivered to the people of Israel, and being condemned by the divine judgment [they] paid the penalty for their widely immoral behavior.
Begging the Lord's peace, they returned more boldly to war, and they to whom prayer had given courage and who had entertained much hope were now able to do what they planned. On a pretext of withdrawing their front lines, setting ambushes at night in the rear of the city, where a segment of the enemy was located, they followed as some retired and thus were provided with an opportunity for invading the unprotected city. Fires were quickly set and flared up while raging flames and waves of heat revealed the sight of the taken city.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
3 (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell us, how was this wickedness? 4 And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and said, I came into Gibeah that belongeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
Folly - That is, a lewd folly; most ignominious and impudent wickedness. Ye are - The sons of that holy man, who for one filthy action left an eternal brand upon one of his own sons: a people in covenant with the holy God, whose honour you are obliged to vindicate, and who hath expressly commanded you to punish all such notorious enormities.
So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Sometimes God suffers wicked men to be lifted up in successes and hopes, that their fall may be the sorer. See how short their joy is, and their triumphing but for a moment. Let not him that girdeth on the harness boast, except he has reason to boast in God. [2.] Evil was near them and they did not know it,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
And Israel set liers-in-wait round about Gibeah--A plan was formed of taking that city by stratagem, similar to that employed in the capture of Ai [Jos 8:9].
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּרְא֥וּ | vaiyiru | and they saw | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| בְנֵֽי־ | venei- | [the] descendants of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| בִנְיָמִ֖ן | vinyamin | Benjamin | H1144 → | 166 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| נִגָּ֑פוּ | nigafu | they were defeated | H5062 → | 49 times |
| וַיִּתְּנ֨וּ | vaiyitenu | and they gave | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| אִֽישׁ־ | ʾish- | [the] man of | H376 → | 1663 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| מָקוֹם֙ | makom | place | H4725 → | 401 times |
| לְבִנְיָמִ֔ן | levinyamin | to Benjamin | H1144 → | 166 times |
| כִּ֤י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| בָֽטְחוּ֙ | vatechu | they trusted | H982 → | 120 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הָ֣אֹרֵ֔ב | haorev | the ambusher | H693 → | 41 times |
| אֲשֶׁר | ʾasher | whom | H834 → | 5497 times |
| שָׂ֖מוּ | samu | they had set | H7760 → | 584 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | against | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַגִּבְעָֽה׃ | hagivah | <the> Gibeah | H1390 → | 45 times |
וַיִּרְא֥וּand they saw
vaiyiruH7200 →1300 times
בְנֵֽי־[the] descendants of
venei-H1121 →4930 times
בִנְיָמִ֖ןBenjamin
vinyaminH1144 →166 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
נִגָּ֑פוּthey were defeated
nigafuH5062 →49 times
וַיִּתְּנ֨וּand they gave
vaiyitenuH5414 →2011 times
אִֽישׁ־[the] man of
ʾish-H376 →1663 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֤לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
מָקוֹם֙place
makomH4725 →401 times
לְבִנְיָמִ֔ןto Benjamin
levinyaminH1144 →166 times
כִּ֤יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
בָֽטְחוּ֙they trusted
vatechuH982 →120 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הָ֣אֹרֵ֔בthe ambusher
haorevH693 →41 times
אֲשֶׁרwhom
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
שָׂ֖מוּthey had set
samuH7760 →584 times
אֶל־against
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הַגִּבְעָֽה׃<the> Gibeah
hagivahH1390 →45 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
About Judges
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Ambrose of Milan, On the Duties of the Clergy 3.19.115-16; Ambrose of Milan, LETTER 33; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.