Judges 20:39

39 the main body of Israel should turn in battle. But Benjamin had begun to inflict casualties on the Israelites, killing about thirty of them; so they thought, "Surely they are defeated before us, as 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 troops in ambush rushed quickly upon Gibeah. Then they put the whole city to the sword.

38 Now the agreement between the main body of Israel and the men in ambush was that when they sent up a cloud of smoke out of the city

39 the main body of Israel should turn in battle. But Benjamin had begun to inflict casualties on the Israelites, killing about thirty of them; so they thought, "Surely they are defeated before us, as in the first battle."

40 But when the cloud, a column of smoke, began to rise out of the city, the Benjaminites looked behind them—and there was the whole city going up in smoke toward the sky!

41 Then the main body of Israel turned, and the Benjaminites were dismayed, for they saw that disaster was close upon them.