38 The Israelites had arranged with the ambush that they should send up a great cloud of smoke from the city,
38 Now the appointed signal between the men of Israel and the men in the main ambush was that when they made a great cloud of smoke rise up out of the city
38 The strategy for the main body of the ambush was that they send up a smoke signal from the city.
38 Now the appointed signal between the men of Israel and the men in ambush was that they would make a great cloud of smoke rise up from the city,
38 They had arranged to send up a large cloud of smoke from the town as a signal.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Judges 20:38
Chapter Contents
The tribe of Benjamin nearly extirpated.
The Israelites' abhorrence of the crime committed at Gibeah, and their resolution to punish the criminals, were right; but they formed their resolves with too much haste and self-confidence. The eternal ruin of souls will be worse, and more fearful, than these desolations of a tribe.