Judges 20:40

40 But when the column of smoke began to rise from the city, the Benjamites turned and saw the whole city going up in smoke.

Judges 20:40 in Other Translations

40 But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven.

40 But when the signal began to rise out of the city in a column of smoke, the Benjaminites looked behind them, and behold, the whole of the city went up in smoke to heaven.

40 But when the warriors of Benjamin looked behind them and saw the smoke rising into the sky from every part of the town,

40 But then the signal went up from the city - a huge column of smoke. When the Benjaminites looked back, there it was, the whole city going up in smoke.

40 But when the column of smoke began to go up from the city, Benjamin looked behind them, and the whole city was going up in smoke.

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 The Israelites had arranged with the ambush that they should send up a great cloud of smoke from the city,

39 and then the Israelites would counterattack. The Benjamites had begun to inflict casualties on the Israelites (about thirty), and they said, “We are defeating them as in the first battle.”

40 But when the column of smoke began to rise from the city, the Benjamites turned and saw the whole city going up in smoke.

41 Then the Israelites counterattacked, and the Benjamites were terrified, because they realized that disaster had come on them.

42 So they fled before the Israelites in the direction of the wilderness, but they could not escape the battle. And the Israelites who came out of the towns cut them down there.

Cross References

• 1. Joshua 8:20