Judges 20:36 Meaning and Explanation
“So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Benjamin sees it is defeated, for Israel had yielded ground, trusting the ambush they had set beside Gibeah.
What Does Judges 20:36 Mean?
Now Benjamin sees the truth: they are beaten. The narrator explains the strategy that undid them. Israel had deliberately 'gave place,' yielding ground in feigned retreat, 'because they trusted unto the liers in wait' positioned beside Gibeah. The withdrawal that looked like another rout was in fact the hinge of victory, drawing Benjamin into the open while the ambush seized the city.
The verse highlights the word 'trusted.' Israel's plan depended on confidence that the hidden men would do their part at the appointed moment. This measured trust, in the strategy God had let them devise after they sought him, contrasts with Benjamin's reckless self-assurance. The narrative quietly distinguishes faith that acts wisely under God's promise from presumption that charges ahead in pride. Benjamin saw too late what their overconfidence had cost; Israel's patient, ordered trust was vindicated.
Judges 20:36 in the Original Language
batach (בָּטַח), 'trusted' -- to rely on with confidence, leaning the full weight of one's hope upon something.
Frequently Asked Questions About Judges 20:36
What does Judges 20:36 mean?
Benjamin sees it is defeated, for Israel had yielded ground, trusting the ambush they had set beside Gibeah.