KJV ORIGINAL
And the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers in wait drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
The soldiers who were hiding in ambush quickly rushed into Gibeah. These hidden troops spread out through the city and killed everyone with their swords.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
This verse describes the moment when Israeli troops in hiding launched a surprise attack on the city of Gibeah, killing all its inhabitants.
📚 Historical Context
This occurred during Israel's civil war against the tribe of Benjamin, specifically the battle for Gibeah where a horrific crime had been committed against a Levite's concubine. The other eleven tribes of Israel were using military strategy, including ambush tactics, to capture and destroy the Benjamite cities as divine judgment for their refusal to hand over the criminals.
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