Judges 20:40

40 and the volume hath begun to go up from the city -- a pillar of smoke -- and Benjamin turneth behind, and lo, gone up hath the perfection of the city toward the heavens.

Judges 20:40 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 20:40

But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a
pillar of smoke
Fire being set to it by the liers in wait, who had entered it, and who made a large fire, which caused a vast pillar of flame and smoke to arise, which might be seen a great way off:

the Benjamites looked behind them;
perhaps at hearing the blowing of the trumpet, and the long sound of that:

and, behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven;
went upwards, and reached to a great height.

Judges 20:40 In-Context

38 And there was the appointed sign to the men of Israel with the ambush -- their causing to go up a great volume of smoke from the city.

39 And the men of Israel turn in battle, and Benjamin hath begun to smite the wounded among the men of Israel, about thirty men, for they said, `Surely they are utterly smitten before us, as [at] the first battle;

40 and the volume hath begun to go up from the city -- a pillar of smoke -- and Benjamin turneth behind, and lo, gone up hath the perfection of the city toward the heavens.

41 And the men of Israel have turned, and the men of Benjamin are troubled, for they have seen that the evil hath stricken against them --

42 and they turn before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness, and the battle hath followed them; and those who [are] from the city are destroying them in their midst;