Judges 20:39

39 Then the men of Israel would turn around in the battle. The men of Benjamin had already killed about 30 men of Israel. They even said, "Israel is completely defeated, just like in the first battle."

Judges 20:39 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 20:39

And when the men of Israel retired in the battle
Which is before expressed by their fleeing, and giving place to the Benjaminites, and was only an artifice of theirs, to draw them off from the city:

Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty
persons;
which was done in the highways leading to Shiloh and Gibeah in the field, ( Judges 20:31 )

for they said, surely they are smitten down before us as in the first
battle;
when the greater number of the Israelites were slain by them.

Judges 20:39 In-Context

37 The men in ambush quickly charged toward Gibeah. They spread out in the city and killed everyone.

38 The men of Israel had arranged with those waiting in ambush that they would make a big column of smoke rise from the city as a signal.

39 Then the men of Israel would turn around in the battle. The men of Benjamin had already killed about 30 men of Israel. They even said, "Israel is completely defeated, just like in the first battle."

40 But when the column of smoke started to rise from the city, the men of Benjamin turned around and saw the whole city going up in smoke.

41 Then the men of Israel turned around, and the men of Benjamin panicked. They realized that their evil had overtaken them.