Judges 20:31

Judges 20:31 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, and kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.
• New International Version (NIV)The Benjamites came out to meet them and were drawn away from the city. They began to inflict casualties on the Israelites as before, so that about thirty men fell in the open field and on the roads—the one leading to Bethel and the other to Gibeah.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the people of Benjamin went out against the people and were drawn away from the city. And as at other times they began to strike and kill some of the people in the highways, one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah, and in the open country, about thirty men of Israel.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city. They began to strike down and kill some of the people, as at the other times, in the highways (one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah) and in the field, about thirty men of Israel.

Context of Judges 20:31

29So Israel set men in ambush around Gibeah. 30And the sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day and lined up against Gibeah as at other times. When the sons of Benjamin went out against the people, they were lured away from the city, and they began to strike and kill some of the people as at other times, on the roads (one of which goes up to Bethel, and the other to Gibeah), and in the field, about thirty men of Israel. 32And the sons of Benjamin said, “They are defeated before us, like the first time.” But the sons of Israel said, “Let’s flee, so that we may draw them away from the city to the roads.” 33Then all the men of Israel rose from their place and lined up at Baal-tamar; and the men of Israel in ambush charged from their place, from Maareh-geba.

Judges 20:31 word by word

וַיֵּצְא֤וּ בְנֵֽי־בִנְיָמִן֙ לִקְרַ֣את הָעָ֔ם הָנְתְּק֖וּ מִן־הָעִ֑יר וַיָּחֵ֡לּוּ לְהַכּוֹת֩ מֵהָעָ֨ם חֲלָלִ֜ים כְּפַ֣עַם׀ בְּפַ֗עַם בַּֽמְסִלּוֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַחַ֜ת עֹלָ֣ה בֵֽית־אֵ֗ל וְאַחַ֤ת גִּבְעָ֙תָה֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה כִּשְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים אִ֖ישׁ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear

• When the sonsבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Benjaminבִּנְיָמִיןbinyâmîyn · BenjaminH1144
• wentיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• againstקָרָאqârâ' · to encounter: towardH7122
• the peopleעַם‛am · people: soldiersH5971
• they were luredנָתַקnâthaq · to tearH5423
• from the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• and they beganחָלַלchâlal · to profane/begin: beginH2490
• to strikeנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• killחָלַלchâlal · to boreH2490
• someמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
• as at otherפַּ֫עַםpa‛am pa‛ămâh · beatH6471
• on the roadsמְסִלָּהmesillâh · highwayH4546
• oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• of whichאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• goesעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• to Bethelבֵּֽיתְ־אֵלbêyth-'êl · BethelH1008
• to Gibeahגִּבְעָהgib‛âh · GibeahH1390
• in the fieldשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: countryH7704
• about thirtyשְׁלֹשִׁיםshelôshîym shelôshîym · thirtyH7970
• menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478

Cross-references for Judges 20:31

• Joshua 8:14And it came about, when the king of Ai saw them, that the men of the city hurried and got up early, and went out to meet Israel in battle, he and all his people at the appointed place before the desert plain. But he did not know that there was an ambush against him behind the city.
• Judges 19:13And he said to his servant, “Come, and let’s approach one of these places; and we will spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah.”
• Isaiah 10:29They have gone through the pass, saying, “Geba will be our encampment for the night.” Ramah is terrified, and Gibeah of Saul has fled.
• Joshua 7:5And the men of Ai struck and killed about thirty-six of their men, and pursued them from the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them on the mountainside; and the hearts of the people melted and became like water.

Commentaries on Judges 20:31

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31To the house of God - “To Bethel,” as in the margin. On “Gibeah in the field,” see Joshua 18:24 note.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 29-44On the third day, they used similar tricks and surprise attacks as when they took over Ai (Joshua 8:1–29).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 29-4829-48. And Israel set liers-in-wait round about Gibeah--A plan was formed of taking that city by stratagem, similar to that employed in the capture of Ai [Jos 8:9].Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 20:31

• Ambush
• Armies
• Beth-El
• Gibeah
• Roads
• Strategy

In the dictionaries

• Benjamin
• Gibeah
• God
• Israel
• House of God
• Bethel
• Congregation
• Fetch
• Glean
• Trust

Commentaries on Judges 20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary