Judges 20:29 kjv
And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah.
Judges 20:29 nkjv
Then Israel set men in ambush all around Gibeah.
Judges 20:29 niv
Then Israel set an ambush around Gibeah.
Judges 20:29 esv
So Israel set men in ambush around Gibeah.
Judges 20:29 nlt
So the Israelites set an ambush all around Gibeah.
Judges 20 29 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Josh 8:2 | "And you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind it." | Divine command for ambush at Ai. |
| Josh 8:4 | "You shall set the ambush against the city, behind it, not very far..." | God-given strategy of ambush. |
| Judg 9:34 | "...Abimelech and his army set ambushes against Shechem in four companies." | Use of ambush in warfare. |
| 1 Sam 15:2 | "Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'I have noted what Amalek did..." | God commands specific strategy for war. |
| Judg 20:23 | "And the people of Israel went up and wept before the LORD..." | Israelites seeking God's guidance before battle. |
| Judg 20:28 | "And Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, stood before it in those days, saying, 'Shall I yet again go out to battle...?'" | Consultation of God through high priest after defeat. |
| Deut 20:1 | "When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots..." | God assures victory, advises on warfare. |
| Ps 20:7 | "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God." | Reliance on God, not solely on human strength or tactics. |
| Prov 21:31 | "The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the LORD." | Emphasizes divine sovereignty over outcomes of human strategy. |
| Ps 33:16-17 | "The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength... A war horse is a false hope for deliverance..." | Human military strength alone is insufficient. |
| Judg 20:21 | "And the people of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and struck down of Israel on that day twenty-two thousand men." | Israel's first significant defeat. |
| Judg 20:25 | "And Benjamin went out against them from Gibeah the second day, and struck down again of the people of Israel eighteen thousand men..." | Israel's second devastating defeat. |
| 2 Chr 7:14 | "if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face..." | Principle of humbling oneself after failure to receive divine restoration. |
| Jer 18:7-10 | "If at any time I declare concerning a nation... that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil..." | God's willingness to change plans based on human repentance/action. |
| Hos 5:15 | "I will return again to My place till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face..." | God withdraws until His people seek Him in repentance. |
| Judg 19:22-25 | "...certain worthless fellows surrounded the house, assailing the old man, the master of the house..." | The vile acts leading to the civil war in Judges 19-20. |
| Rom 6:23 | "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." | The consequence of unrighteousness seen in Gibeah's depravity. |
| Eph 4:18-19 | "...darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them..." | Describes the spiritual state of those given over to depravity. |
| Eph 6:11 | "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." | Spiritual parallel: strategy against spiritual enemies. |
| 2 Cor 10:4 | "For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds." | Spiritual warfare, divine empowerment beyond human means. |
| 1 Pet 5:8 | "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." | Awareness of enemies' cunning strategies. |
| Isa 55:8-9 | "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD." | God's superior wisdom and strategy compared to human wisdom. |
| Job 5:13 | "He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end." | God overturns human cunning; here, God directs Israel's cunning. |
Judges 20 verses
Judges 20 29 Meaning
Following two prior defeats, the Israelite army, acting under a renewed divine strategy, deployed an ambush force to encircle and surprise the Benjaminite defenders of Gibeah. This marks a pivotal shift in their military tactics, moving from direct assault to cunning deception, ultimately leading to their victory as guided by the Lord.
Judges 20 29 Context
Judges chapter 20 describes a severe civil war among the tribes of Israel, instigated by the horrific crime committed against the Levite's concubine in Gibeah of Benjamin (Judg 19). The other Israelite tribes gathered to demand justice from Benjamin for this abomination. When Benjamin refused, the tribes went to war. Despite inquiring of the Lord and receiving affirmation to "go up," the Israelites suffered two massive and unexpected defeats (Judg 20:21, 25), losing forty thousand men. These defeats likely served to humble Israel, forcing them to understand their dependence on God rather than relying solely on their numbers or perceived righteousness. After the second defeat, the Israelites humbled themselves deeply, wept before the Lord, and made sacrifices (Judg 20:26). It was only then, after intense weeping and offerings, that the Lord revealed the new, specific tactical strategy described in Judges 20:29. This verse signifies God's renewed directive for their engagement, no longer just a general "go up," but a precise military maneuver.
Judges 20 29 Word analysis
- And Israel: Represents the collective ten tribes (later eleven with Levi, excluding Benjamin). Significance: A united front taking action, emphasizing the national nature of this civil conflict.
- set (Hebrew: וַיָּשִׂימוּ, vayyasimu from root שִׂים, sim): To place, put, appoint. Significance: Denotes a deliberate, planned, and organized action. It's not a casual or spontaneous deployment but a strategic decision.
- liers in wait (Hebrew: הָאוֹרֵב, ha'orev from root אָרַב, arab): An ambush party, a force specifically positioned to surprise an enemy. Significance: This indicates a change from direct confrontation (which failed twice) to a deceptive and tactical approach. Ambush was a common and effective military tactic in the ancient Near East, often employed to overcome numerically superior or fortified opponents, or when frontal assaults proved costly. Its use here shows the Israelites, now operating under divine instruction, employing cunning in addition to courage.
- round about (Hebrew: סָבִיב, saviv): Around, surrounding, on every side. Significance: Implies a complete encirclement or flanking maneuver. This suggests an intention to trap the Benjaminite forces within or around Gibeah, cutting off escape routes and allowing for a decisive attack from multiple directions.
- Gibeah (Hebrew: גִּבְעָה, Giv'ah): Meaning "hill," it was a significant city in the territory of Benjamin and the central location for the initial heinous crime and subsequent battle. Significance: This city was the objective and stronghold of the Benjaminite resistance. Placing an ambush around it indicates an intelligent strategy to isolate and conquer the target.
Judges 20 29 Bonus section
The inclusion of an ambush strategy, as divinely sanctioned and implemented, highlights that "holy war" in the Old Testament was not always a direct, face-to-face conflict driven purely by spiritual fervor. It often involved practical, shrewd military tactics that included deception. This underscores the theological principle that God's ways are not always conventional or what humans might initially expect. It also implies that the first two defeats served a purifying purpose, forcing Israel to confront their presumption and engage God on a deeper level before He granted them strategic insight for victory.
Judges 20 29 Commentary
Judges 20:29 marks a crucial turning point in the Israelite-Benjaminite civil war. After two prior, devastating defeats, which served to humble the Israelite forces and draw them into deeper dependence and repentance before the Lord, a new strategy is employed. The failures taught Israel that even divine permission ("Go up!") does not guarantee victory without humble obedience and perhaps, specific divine wisdom on how to proceed. Here, the Lord provides that "how" by guiding them to utilize an ambush, a tactic often seen in biblical warfare. The placement of "liers in wait round about Gibeah" reveals a shift from brute force to intelligent, divinely-guided cunning. This was not a human tactical innovation before consulting God, but a divine directive given after sustained supplication and sacrifice. The subsequent narrative confirms this strategy's success, demonstrating that true victory comes not merely from divine blessing alone, but through applying divine wisdom and strategy to human efforts. It emphasizes that while God's power is paramount, He often works through specific human actions and well-executed plans.