Judges 20:37

37 And when they retreated, then the liers in wait rose up, and they moved toward Gabaa, and the whole ambush came forth, and they smote the city with the edge of the sword.

Judges 20:37 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 20:37

And the liers in wait hasted
When the time was come agreed upon for them to rise out of their ambush:

and rushed upon Gibeah;
at unawares, with great force and violence entered the city, and took possession of it; or "extended" ^F24, or spread themselves unto it; before they lay close in a narrow compass, but now they put themselves in a regular order, and marched rank and file, and reached from the meadows in which they were, ( Judges 20:33 ) , to the city:

and the liers in wait drew themselves along;
along the city, in every part of it, spread themselves all over it, and made themselves masters of every corner of it; or "made a long sound" ^F25 with a trumpet, protracted that to a great length, which was done to terrify the inhabitants, or to let the Israelites know they were possessed of the city:

and smote all the city with the edge of the sword;
old men, women, and children, who were not able to bear arms.

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FOOTNOTES:

F24 (wjvpy) "extenderunt se", Tigurine version.
F25 (Kvmy) "pertraxerunt buccinae sonitum", Paguninus; so Jarchi and Limchi.

Judges 20:37 In-Context

35 And the Lord smote Benjamin before the children of Israel; and the children of Israel destroyed of Benjamin in that day a hundred and twenty-five thousand men: all these drew sword.

36 And the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten; and the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin, because they trusted in the ambuscade which they had prepared against Gabaa.

37 And when they retreated, then the liers in wait rose up, and they moved toward Gabaa, and the whole ambush came forth, and they smote the city with the edge of the sword.

38 And the children of Israel had a signal of battle with the liers in wait, that they should send up a signal of smoke from the city.

39 And the children of Israel saw that the liers in wait had seized Gabaa, and they stood in line of battle; and Benjamin began to smite down wounded ones among the men of Israel about thirty men; for they said, Surely they fall again before us, as in the first battle.

Footnotes

• [a]. extended themselves.