BibleWord.ai› Bible› Judges› Chapter 20› Verse 32

Judges 20:32

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does Judges 20:32 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us, as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them away from the city unto the highways.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us, as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them away from the city unto the highways.
Judges 20:32 — American Standard Version

Context — Judges 20

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
29And Israel set liers-in-wait against Gibeah round about.
30And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and set themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.
31And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite and kill of the people, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to Beth-el, and the other to Gibeah, in the field, about thirty men of Israel.
32And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us, as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them away from the city unto the highways.
33And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and set themselves in array at Baal-tamar: and the liers-in-wait of Israel brake forth out of their place, even out of Maareh-geba.
34And there came over against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore; but they knew not that evil was close upon them.
35And Jehovah smote Benjamin before Israel; and the children of Israel destroyed of Benjamin that day twenty and five thousand and a hundred men: all these drew the sword.
← Judges 20:31Judges 20:33 →
← Full Chapter 20 Judges Overview

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And the children of Benjamin said, they are smitten down before us, as at first, etc.] At the first battle, which gave them great spirit, and they concluded they should have victory, as before: but the children of Israel said, let us flee, and draw them from the city unto the highways; pretending to be afraid of them, and not able to face them, and therefore made as if they fled through fear and cowardice, which inspired the Benjaminites with fresh ardour to pursue them closely, and so were drawn from the city to the highways, as expressed in the preceding verse.”
Read attributed excerpt →
Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Let us flee: This was done, not only because they had placed an ambuscade behind Gibeah, which was to enter and burn the city as soon as the Benjamites left it; but it would seem, that the slingers, by being within the city and its fortifications, had great advantage over the Israelites by their slings, when they could not come among them with their swords, unless they got them in the plain country. Jos 8:15, Jos 8:16 Judges 20:33”
Read attributed excerpt →

Related study paths

Read Judges 20 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification