Bible Strands
Judges 20:37
The men in ambush rushed suddenly against Gibeah; they advanced and put the whole city to the sword.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator describes the tactical execution of a prearranged plan at the climax of the civil war between Israel and Benjamin. The ambushed troops launch their assault on Gibeah while the main Israelite force retreats to draw the Benjamites out of the city.
The words — הֵחִישׁוּ (he.Chi.shu) means "they made haste" or "they rushed suddenly," and וַֽ/יִּפְשְׁט֖וּ (va/i.yif.she.Tu) translates to "they made a raid" or "they broke out." These consecutive verbs emphasize the sudden, violent breach of the fortified settlement.
The thread — The coordinated ambush tactic reappears in Joshua 8:19, where hidden troops rise from their position on signal. The narrative structure of a feigned retreat followed by a sudden strike mirrors that earlier conquest account.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition of how judgment executes through human strategy without moral gloss. It asks the reader to observe the precise fulfillment of the earlier warning and the inescapable consequence of the city's corruption.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers in wait drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.
Cross-references
- Joshua 8:19 and as soon as he did so, the men in ambush rose quickly from their position. They rushed forward, entered the city, captured it, and immediately set it on fire.
- Exodus 19:13 No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot with arrows—whether man or beast, he must not live.’ Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”
- Joshua 6:5 And when there is a long blast of the ram’s horn and you hear its sound, have all the people give a mighty shout. Then the wall of the city will collapse and all your people will charge straight into the city.”