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.
So the people of Benjamin realized they were defeated. The men of Israel had retreated and given ground to the Benjamites because they were counting on the soldiers they had hidden in ambush near Gibeah.
This verse explains that Israel's apparent retreat was actually part of a strategic plan - they were drawing Benjamin into a trap by relying on their hidden ambush forces.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Judges, the tribes of Israel united against the tribe of Benjamin due to the horrific crime in Gibeah, where a concubine was abused and killed, leading to a demand for justice that Benjamin refused. This escalated into a civil war, with the Israelites devising a military strategy involving an ambush to defeat their fellow tribe. In Judges 20:36, the Benjamites realize they are being overpowered as the Israelites feign retreat, relying on the hidden forces they had positioned nearby.
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