New English Translation
Judges 20:39
39the Israelites counterattacked. Benjamin had begun to strike down the Israelites; they struck down about thirty men. They said, “There’s no doubt about it! They are totally defeated as in the earlier battle.”
Judges 20:39 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle.
- New International Version (NIV)and then the Israelites would counterattack. The Benjamites had begun to inflict casualties on the Israelites (about thirty), and they said, “We are defeating them as in the first battle.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)the men of Israel should turn in battle. Now Benjamin had begun to strike and kill about thirty men of Israel. They said, "Surely they are defeated before us, as in the first battle."
- New King James Version (NKJV)whereupon the men of Israel would turn in battle. Now Benjamin had begun 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.”
Context of Judges 20:39
37The men hiding in ambush made a mad dash to Gibeah. They attacked and put the sword to the entire city. 38The Israelites and the men hiding in ambush had arranged a signal. When the men hiding in ambush sent up a smoke signal from the city, the Israelites counterattacked. Benjamin had begun to strike down the Israelites; they struck down about thirty men. They said, “There’s no doubt about it! They are totally defeated as in the earlier battle.” 40But when the signal, a pillar of smoke, began to rise up from the city, the Benjaminites turned around and saw the whole city going up in a cloud of smoke that rose high into the sky. 41When the Israelites turned around, the Benjaminites panicked because they could see that disaster was on their doorstep.
Read all of Judges 20Judges 20:39 word by word
וַיַּהֲפֹ֥ךְ אִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בַּמִּלְחָמָ֑ה וּבִנְיָמִ֡ן הֵחֵל֩ לְהַכּ֨וֹת חֲלָלִ֤ים בְּאִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ כִּשְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים אִ֔ישׁ כִּ֣י אָמְר֔וּ אַךְ֩ נִגּ֨וֹף נִגָּ֥ף הוּא֙ לְפָנֵ֔ינוּ כַּמִּלְחָמָ֖ה הָרִאשֹׁנָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And when the menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- retiredהָפַךְhâphak · to overturnH2015
- in the battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
- Benjaminבִּנְיָמִיןbinyâmîyn · BenjaminH1144
- beganחָלַלchâlal · to profane/begin: beginH2490
- to smiteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- killחָלָלchâlâl · slain: killedH2491
- about thirtyשְׁלֹשִׁיםshelôshîym shelôshîym · thirtyH7970
- for they saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Surelyנָגַףnâgaph · to strikeH5062
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- the firstרִאשׁוֹןri'shôn ri'shôn · firstH7223
Cross-references for Judges 20:39
Commentaries on Judges 20:39
- 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 20:39
In the dictionaries
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
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Commentaries