Judges 20:40 Meaning and Explanation
“But 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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The signal fire rises from Gibeah, and the Benjamites look back to see the whole city ablaze.
What Does Judges 20:40 Mean?
The signal appears. A pillar of smoke and flame rises from Gibeah, and the Benjamites, turning to look behind them, see their city wholly aflame, 'the flame of the city ascended up to heaven.' In an instant their confidence collapses. The town they trusted as their refuge is burning; they are cut off, caught between the army before them and the ruin behind.
The image of the flame rising 'up to heaven' carries a note of finality, as though the smoke of Gibeah's judgment ascends before God himself. What Benjamin had defended is consumed. The verse marks the dramatic turning point where presumption meets reality and false security goes up in smoke. It is a sobering picture of how suddenly the proud can be undone, and how the refuge built on a wrong cause offers no shelter when the day of reckoning finally dawns.
Frequently Asked Questions About Judges 20:40
What does Judges 20:40 mean?
The signal fire rises from Gibeah, and the Benjamites look back to see the whole city ablaze.