New English Translation
Judges 20:42
42They retreated before the Israelites, taking the road to the wilderness. But the battle overtook them as men from the surrounding cities struck them down.
Judges 20:42 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.
- New International Version (NIV)So they fled before the Israelites in the direction of the wilderness, but they could not escape the battle. And the Israelites who came out of the towns cut them down there.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel in the direction of the wilderness, but the battle overtook them. And those who came out of the cities were destroying them in their midst.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel in the direction of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them, and whoever came out of the cities they destroyed in their midst.
Context of Judges 20:42
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. They retreated before the Israelites, taking the road to the wilderness. But the battle overtook them as men from the surrounding cities struck them down. 43They surrounded the Benjaminites, chased them from Nohah, and annihilated them all the way to a spot east of Geba. 44Eighteen thousand Benjaminites, all of them capable warriors, fell dead.
Read all of Judges 20Judges 20:42 word by word
וַיִּפְנ֞וּ לִפְנֵ֨י אִ֤ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶל־דֶּ֣רֶךְ הַמִּדְבָּ֔ר וְהַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה הִדְבִּיקָ֑תְהוּ וַאֲשֶׁר֙ מֵהֶ֣עָרִ֔ים מַשְׁחִיתִ֥ים אוֹת֖וֹ בְּתוֹכֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Therefore they turnedפָּנָהpânâh · to turnH6437
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- the menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- unto the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: directionH1870
- of the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
- but the battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
- overtookדָּבַקdâbaq · to cleaveH1692
- out of the citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- they destroyedשָׁחַתshâchath · to ruinH7843
- in the midstתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
Cross-references for Judges 20:42
- Lamentations 1:3Judah has departed into exile under affliction and harsh oppression. She lives among the nations; she has found no resting place. All who pursued her overtook her in narrow straits. ד (Dalet)
- Hosea 9:9They have sunk deep into corruption as in the days of Gibeah. He will remember their wrongdoing. He will repay them for their sins.
- Hosea 10:9O Israel, you have sinned since the time of Gibeah, and there you have remained. Did not war overtake the evildoers in Gibeah?
Commentaries on Judges 20:42
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 42The way of the wilderness - i. e., the wilderness which extended from Jericho to the hills of Bethel. Them which came out of the cities - These must be the Benjamites Judges 20:15. Hence, “in the midst of them” must mean “in their own cities”, where they severally fled for refuge, but failed to find shelter Judges 20:48. Anathoth, Alemath, Ramah, Ataroth, Geba, Michmash, Ai, Bethel, Migron, etc., would probably be the cities meant, all lying east and…Read the comment
- 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 20:42
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