Judges 20:32

32 And the people of Benjamin said, ¹“They are routed before us, as at the first. ” But the people of Israel said, “Let us flee and draw them away from the city to the highways. ”

Judges 20:32 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 20:32

And the children of Benjamin said, they are smitten down
before us, as at first
At the first battle, which gave them great spirit, and they concluded they should have victory, as before:

but the children of Israel said, let us flee, and draw them from the
city unto the highways;
pretending to be afraid of them, and not able to face them, and therefore made as if they fled through fear and cowardice, which inspired the Benjaminites with fresh ardour to pursue them closely, and so were drawn from the city to the highways, as expressed in the preceding verse.

Judges 20:32 In-Context

30 And the people of Israel went up against the people of Benjamin on the third day and set themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.

31 And the people of Benjamin went out against the people and were drawn away from the city. And as at other times they began to strike and kill some of the people in the highways, one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah, and in the open country, about thirty men of Israel.

32 And the people of Benjamin said, “They are routed before us, as at the first. ” But the people of Israel said, “Let us flee and draw them away from the city to the highways. ”

33 And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place and set themselves in array at Baal-tamar, and the men of Israel who were in ambush rushed out of their place from Maareh-geba.

34 And there came against Gibeah 10,000 chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was hard, but the Benjaminites did not know that disaster was close upon them.

Cross References

• 1. 20:32 [Josh. 8:5, 6]