Judges 20:40

Judges 20:40 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven.
• New International Version (NIV)But when the column of smoke began to rise from the city, the Benjamites turned and saw the whole city going up in smoke.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But when the signal began to rise out of the city in a column of smoke, the Benjaminites looked behind them, and behold, the whole of the city went up in smoke to heaven.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But when the cloud began to rise from the city in a column of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and there was the whole city going up in smoke to heaven.

Context of Judges 20:40

38Now the agreed 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. 39Then the men of Israel turned in the battle, and Benjamin began to strike and kill about thirty men of Israel, for they said, “Undoubtedly they are defeated before us, as in the first battle.” But when the cloud began to rise from the city in a column of smoke, Benjamin looked behind them; and behold, the entire city was going up in smoke to heaven. 41Then the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were terrified; for they saw that disaster was close to them. 42Therefore, they turned their backs before the men of Israel to flee in the direction of the wilderness, but the battle overtook them while those who attacked from the cities were annihilating them in the midst of them.

Judges 20:40 word by word

וְהַמַּשְׂאֵ֗ת הֵחֵ֛לָּה לַעֲל֥וֹת מִן־הָעִ֖יר עַמּ֣וּד עָשָׁ֑ן וַיִּ֤פֶן בִּנְיָמִן֙ אַחֲרָ֔יו וְהִנֵּ֛ה עָלָ֥ה כְלִיל־הָעִ֖יר הַשָּׁמָֽיְמָה׃Read the interlinear

• But when the cloudמַשְׂאֵתmaώ'êth · tributeH4864
• beganחָלַלchâlal · to profane/begin: beginH2490
• to riseעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• from the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• a columnעַמּוּד‛ammûd ‛ammûd · pillarH5982
• of smokeעָשָׁן‛âshân · smokeH6227
• Benjaminבִּנְיָמִיןbinyâmîyn · BenjaminH1144
• lookedפָּנָהpânâh · to turnH6437
• behindאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• them; and beholdהִנֵּהhinnêh · beholdH2009
• the entireכָּלִילkâlîyl · entireH3632
• to heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064

Cross-references for Judges 20:40

• Genesis 19:28and he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the surrounding area; and behold, he saw the smoke of the land ascended like the smoke of a furnace.
• Joel 2:30I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, Blood, fire, and columns of smoke.
• Revelation 19:3And a second time they said, “Hallelujah! Her smoke rises forever and ever.”
• Joshua 8:20When the men of Ai turned back and looked, behold, the smoke of the city ascended to the sky, and they had no place to flee this way or that, for the people who had been fleeing to the wilderness turned against the pursuers.

Commentaries on Judges 20:40

• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 36-48This section provides another description of the battle.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 20:40

• Ambush
• Armies
• Strategy

In the dictionaries

• Congregation
• Fetch
• Gibeah
• Glean
• Trust
• Wickedness
• Wolf
• Archery
• Ascend
• Flame

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