The Israelites retreated before 1 Benjamin, because they had confidence in the men they had hid in ambush outside Gibeah. 20:37 The men hiding in ambush made a mad dash 2 to Gibeah. They 3 attacked 4 and put the sword to the entire city. 20:38 The Israelites and the men hiding in ambush had arranged a signal. When the men hiding in ambush 5 sent up a smoke signal from the city, 20:39 the Israelites counterattacked. 6 Benjamin had begun to strike down the Israelites; 7 they struck down 8 about thirty men. They said, “There’s no doubt about it! They are totally defeated as in the earlier battle.”
1 tn Heb “gave place to.”
2 tn Heb “hurried and put off [their hiding place].”
3 tn Heb “the men hiding in ambush.”
4 tn Or “deployed.” The verb normally means “to lead” or “to draw.”
5 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the men hiding in ambush) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
6 tn Heb “turned in the battle.”
7 tn Heb “And Benjamin began to strike down wounded ones among the men of Israel.”
8 tn The words “they struck down” are supplied in the translation for clarification.