Judges 20:38 - Forerunner Commentary

Judges 20:38

36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were defeated. ^aThe men of Israel had given ground to the Benjamites, because they relied on the men in ambush whom they had set against Gibeah.

37 ^aAnd the men in ambush quickly rushed upon Gibeah; the men in ambush spread out and struck the whole city with the edge of the sword.

38 Now the appointed signal between the men of Israel and the men in ambush was that they would make a great cloud of ^asmoke rise up from the city,

39 whereupon the men of Israel would turn in battle. Now Benjamin had begun¹ to strike and kill about thirty of the men of Israel. For they said, “Surely they are defeated before us, as in the first battle.”

40 But when the cloud began to rise from the city in a column of smoke, the Benjamites ^alooked behind them, and there was the whole city going up in smoke to heaven.

41 And when the men of Israel turned back, the men of Benjamin panicked, for they saw that disaster had come upon them.

Verse Comparison: Judges 20:38

<< Judges 20:37

Judges 20:39 >>

American Standard Version
Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers-in-wait was, that they should make a great cloud of smoke rise up out of the city.

Amplified® Bible
Now the appointed signal between the men of Israel and the men in ambush was that when they made a great cloud of smoke arise from the city,

Contemporary English Version
(SEE 20:31)

Darby English Version
Now the appointed signal between the men of Israel and the men in ambush was that when they made a great cloud of smoke rise up out of the city

Good News Bible
The main Israelite army and the men in hiding had arranged a signal. When they saw a big cloud of smoke going up from the town,

King James Version
Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the city.

New American Standard Bible
Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the men in ambush was that they would make a great cloud of smoke rise from the city.

New International Version
The men of Israel had arranged with the ambush that they should send up a great cloud of smoke from the city,

New King James Version
Now the appointed signal between the men of Israel and the men in ambush was that they would make a great cloud of smoke rise up from the city,

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the men in ambush consisted of an action that they would make a great cloud of smoke rise from the city.

Revised Standard Version
Now the appointed signal between the men of Israel and the men in ambush was that when they made a great cloud of smoke rise up out of the city

Young's Literal Translation
And there was the appointed sign to the men of Israel with the ambush -- their causing to go up a great volume of smoke from the city.

New English Translation
The Israelites and the men hiding in ambush had arranged a signal. When the men hiding in ambush¹ sent up a smoke signal from the city,

<< Judges 20:37

Judges 20:39 >>