Judges 20:38-40

King James Version

³⁸Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the city.

³⁹And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle.

⁴⁰But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven.

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Judges 20:38-40

English Standard Version

³⁸Now 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 ³⁹the men of Israel should turn in battle. Now Benjamin had begun to strike and kill about thirty men of Israel. They said, ^(A)“Surely they are defeated before us, as in the first battle.” ⁴⁰But when the signal began to rise out of the city in a column of smoke, the Benjaminites looked behind them, and behold, ^(B)the whole of the city went up in smoke to heaven.

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Judges 20:38-40

New International Version

³⁸The Israelites had arranged with the ambush that they should send up a great cloud of smoke^(A) from the city,^(B) ³⁹and then the Israelites would counterattack.

The Benjamites had begun to inflict casualties on the Israelites (about thirty), and they said, “We are defeating them as in the first battle.”^(C) ⁴⁰But when the column of smoke began to rise from the city, the Benjamites turned and saw the whole city going up in smoke.^(D)

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