Judges 20:38
The appointed signal between the men of Israel and the ambush was to send up a great column of smoke from the city.
Additional Resources
Other Translations
King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)
Now 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.
KJV1611 – Modern English
Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the ambushers, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the city.
King James Version 1611 (Original)
Now 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.
American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers
Now the appointed sign{H4150} between the men{H376} of Israel{H3478} and{H5973} the liers-in-wait{H693} was, that they should make a great{H7235} cloud{H4864} of smoke{H6227} rise up{H5927} out of the city.{H5892}
King James Version with Strong's Numbers
Now there was an appointed sign{H4150} between the men{H376} of Israel{H3478} and{H5973} the liers in wait{H693}{(H8802)}, that they should make a great{H7235}{(H8685)} flame{H4864} with smoke{H6227} rise up{H5927}{(H8687)} out of the city{H5892}.
Coverdale Bible (1535)
They were appoynted betwene them selues the men of Israel and the hynder watch, to fall vpon them with the swerde, whan the smoke of the cite arose.
Geneva Bible (1560)
Also the men of Israel had appoynted a certaine time with the ambushmentes, that they should make a great flame and smoke rise vp out of the citie.
Bishops' Bible (1568)
And an appoyntment had the men of Israel from the lyers in wayt, that they should make a great flambe and smoke ryse vp out of the citie.
Authorized King James Version (1611)
Now 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.
Webster's Bible (1833)
Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers-in-wait was that they should make a great cloud of smoke rise up out of the city.
Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)
And there was the appointed sign to the men of Israel with the ambush -- their causing to go up a great volume of smoke from the city.
American Standard Version (1901)
Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers-in-wait was, that they should make a great cloud of smoke rise up out of the city.
American Standard Version (1901)
Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers-in-wait was, that they should make a great cloud of smoke rise up out of the city.
Bible in Basic English (1941)
Now the sign fixed between the men of Israel and those making the surprise attack was that when they made a pillar of smoke go up from the town,
World English Bible (2000)
Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the ambushers was that they should make a great cloud of smoke rise up out of the city.
NET Bible® (New English Translation)
The Israelites and the men hiding in ambush had arranged a signal. When the men hiding in ambush sent up a smoke signal from the city,
Referenced Verses
- Gen 17:21 : 21 But I will establish My covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year.
- Josh 8:20 : 20 When the men of Ai looked back, they saw the smoke of the city rising to the sky, and they had no power to flee in any direction. The Israelites who had fled toward the wilderness now turned against their pursuers.
- 2 Kgs 4:16 : 16 Then Elisha said, "At this time next year, you will be holding a son in your arms." She replied, "No, my lord, man of God, do not deceive your servant."
Similar Verses (AI)
These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.
- Judg 20:39-457 verses84%
39 When the Israelites turned in the battle, the Benjaminites had begun killing about thirty Israelites and thought, 'We are defeating them as in the first battle.'
40 But when the column of smoke began to rise from the city, the Benjaminites turned back and saw the entire city going up in smoke toward the sky.
41 Then the Israelites turned on them, and the Benjaminites were terrified because they saw that disaster had overtaken them.
42 They fled before the Israelites toward the wilderness, but they were overtaken, and those who came out of the cities destroyed them.
43 They surrounded the Benjaminites, pursued them, and overran them until they were opposite Gibeah on the east side.
44 Eighteen thousand men of Benjamin fell, all valiant warriors.
45 The rest turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, but the Israelites killed five thousand of them along the roads. They pursued them as far as Gidom and struck down another two thousand.
- Judg 20:29-379 verses82%
29 Then Israel set men in ambush around Gibeah.
30 On the third day, the Israelites went up against the Benjaminites and took up their positions against Gibeah, as they had done before.
31 The Benjaminites came out to meet them and were drawn away from the city. They began to inflict casualties on the Israelites as they had done before—about thirty men—in the open country, on the roads leading to Bethel and Gibeah.
32 The Benjaminites thought, "We are defeating them as before." But the Israelites said, "Let us retreat and draw them away from the city to the roads."
33 All the men of Israel rose up from their places and took their positions at Baal Tamar, while the Israelite ambush broke out of its place west of Gibeah.
34 Ten thousand of Israel's finest men advanced against Gibeah, and the battle was fierce. But the Benjaminites did not realize that disaster was closing in on them.
35 The LORD struck down Benjamin before Israel, and the Israelites killed twenty-five thousand one hundred Benjaminites that day, all armed with swords.
36 Then the Benjaminites saw that they were defeated. The Israelites had given ground to the Benjaminites because they relied on the ambush they had set near Gibeah.
37 The men in ambush hurried and rushed upon Gibeah. They spread out and struck the entire city with the sword.
- Judg 20:17-215 verses75%
17 The Israelites, apart from Benjamin, mustered four hundred thousand soldiers armed with swords, all experienced warriors.
18 The Israelites went up to Bethel and inquired of God. They said, "Who of us shall go up first to fight against the Benjaminites?" The LORD replied, "Judah shall go first."
19 The next morning the Israelites got up and camped near Gibeah.
20 The Israelites went out to fight the Benjaminites and took up battle positions against them at Gibeah.
21 The Benjaminites came out of Gibeah and cut down twenty-two thousand Israelites on the battlefield that day.
- Judg 20:9-157 verses74%
9 This is what we will do to Gibeah: We will decide by casting lots.
10 We will take ten men out of every hundred, a hundred out of every thousand, and a thousand out of every ten thousand across all the tribes of Israel. They will gather provisions for the army, so we can act against Gibeah in Benjamin for their disgraceful act in Israel.
11 So all the men of Israel were united together as one man against the city.
12 The tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, "What is this awful crime that has been committed among you?"
13 Now hand over the wicked men of Gibeah so that we may put them to death and purge the evil from Israel." But the Benjaminites would not listen to their fellow Israelites.
14 Instead, the Benjaminites gathered from their cities to Gibeah to go out to battle against the Israelites.
15 On that day, the Benjaminites mustered twenty-six thousand men armed with swords from their towns, not counting the seven hundred elite troops from Gibeah.
- Judg 20:47-482 verses72%
47 But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness, to the rock of Rimmon, where they stayed for four months.
48 The men of Israel went back to Benjamin and put the cities to the sword, including the people, livestock, and everything they found. They also set fire to all the cities they came upon.
- Josh 8:19-213 verses72%
19 As soon as he stretched out his hand, the ambush rose quickly from their position, ran into the city, captured it, and immediately set it on fire.
20 When the men of Ai looked back, they saw the smoke of the city rising to the sky, and they had no power to flee in any direction. The Israelites who had fled toward the wilderness now turned against their pursuers.
21 When Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had captured the city and that its smoke was rising, they turned back and struck down the men of Ai.
- Judg 20:23-253 verses70%
23 The Israelites went up and wept before the LORD until evening, and they inquired of the LORD. They asked, "Shall we go up again to wage war against the Benjaminites, our brothers?" The LORD answered, "Go up against them."
24 Then the Israelites approached the Benjaminites on the second day.
25 On the second day, the Benjaminites came out from Gibeah to meet the Israelites and struck down another eighteen thousand Israelites, all of them armed with swords.
- 70%
20 So they instructed the Benjaminites, 'Go and hide in the vineyards.'
- 69%
32 Now then, during the night you and your men should come and lie in wait in the fields.
- 69%
3 The people of Benjamin heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah. The Israelites said, "Tell us, how did this terrible crime happen?"
- 68%
16 Saul's lookouts at Gibeah of Benjamin saw the Philistine army melting away in all directions.
- 67%
1 Take refuge, O sons of Benjamin, from the midst of Jerusalem! Blow the trumpet in Tekoa and raise a signal over Beth-Haccherem. For disaster looms from the north, a great destruction.
- 67%
8 Blow the horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah; sound the alarm in Beth Aven: 'Look behind you, Benjamin!'
- 67%
7 There, the army of Israel was defeated by David's servants, and the casualties were heavy that day—twenty thousand men.
- 66%
16 In the evening, an old man came in from his work in the field. He was from the hill country of Ephraim and was staying temporarily in Gibeah, though the people of the place were Benjaminites.
- 66%
8 "When you have taken the city, you shall set it on fire, as the Lord has commanded. See, I have commanded you."
- 65%
12 He took about five thousand men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, west of the city.
- 65%
43 So Abimelech took his army, divided them into three companies, and set an ambush in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he attacked them.
- 65%
9 From the days of Gibeah, you have sinned, Israel, and there they have remained. Will not war overtake them in Gibeah because of their wickedness?
- 65%
5 While we were there, the men of Gibeah attacked me. They surrounded the house during the night and intended to kill me. They raped my concubine, and she died.
- 65%
14 When the king of Ai saw this, he and all his men of the city hurried and rose early, going out to meet Israel in battle at the appointed place near the Arabah. But he did not know that an ambush was set against him behind the city.