Judges 20:32

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 from the city unto the highways.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(32) Said, Let us flee.—In a later historical style the plan of the feigned flight would have been mentioned earlier.

Unto the highways.—This would have the double effect of allowing the ambuscade to cut off their retreat, and of dividing their forces at the point where the roads branched off.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

17:7-13 Micah thought it was a sign of God's favour to him and his images, that a Levite should come to his door. Thus those who please themselves with their own delusions, if Providence unexpectedly bring any thing to their hands that further them in their evil way, are apt from thence to think that God is pleased with them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

To the house of God - "To Bethel," as in the margin. On "Gibeah in the field," see Joshua 18:24 note.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Jud 20:29-48. They Destroy All the Benjamites, Except Six Hundred.

29-48. 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].

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And the children of Benjamin said, they are smitten down before us, as at first,.... 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.

Geneva Study Bible

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 from the city unto the {p} highways.

(p) Meaning, crossways or paths to various places.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 32. - And the children of Benjamin, etc. This verse is parenthetical, being explanatory of the conduct of both parties. The Benjamites pursued recklessly, because they thought the fight was going as on the two previous days; the Israelites fled in order to draw them to the highways, and so to enable the ambushment to get between the Benjamite army and the city. Judges 20:32

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Then the Benjaminites supposed that Israel was beaten by them as before; but the Israelites said: We will flee, and draw it (the tribe of Benjamin) away from the town to the roads (the high-roads mentioned in Judges 20:31). On the Dagesh dirimens in נתקּוּהוּ, see Ewald, 92, c.