38 The Israelites had arranged with the ambush that they should send up a great cloud of smoke from the city,
38 Now there was an appointed sign
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.