Lectionary Calendar
Monday, April 20th, 2026
the Third Week after Easter
Attention!
Take your personal ministry to the Next Level by helping StudyLight build churches and supporting pastors in Uganda.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

New Revised Standard

Judges 20:29

So Israel stationed men in ambush around Gibeah.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ambush;   Armies;   Strategy;   Thompson Chain Reference - Ambush;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Benjamin, Tribe of;   Jews, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Benjamin;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ambush;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Benjamin;   Marriage;   Priests and Levites;   Samson;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Gibeah ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Gibeah;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Government of the Hebrews;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So Israel set up an ambush around Gibeah.
Hebrew Names Version
Yisra'el set liers-in-wait against Gevah round about.
King James Version
And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah.
Lexham English Bible
So Israel stationed an ambush all around Gibeah.
English Standard Version
So Israel set men in ambush around Gibeah.
New Century Version
Then the Israelites set up ambushes all around Gibeah.
New English Translation
So Israel hid men in ambush outside Gibeah.
Amplified Bible
So Israel set men in ambush around Gibeah.
New American Standard Bible
So Israel set men in ambush around Gibeah.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Israel set men to lie in waite round about Gibeah.
Legacy Standard Bible
En Israel het rondom teen Gíbea hinderlae opgestel.
Contemporary English Version
The Israelites surrounded Gibeah, but stayed where they could not be seen.
Complete Jewish Bible
Isra'el hid some men around Giv‘ah,
Darby Translation
And Israel set liers in wait against Gibeah, round about.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then the army of Israel hid some men all around the city of Gibeah.
George Lamsa Translation
So Israel set ambushes round about Gibeah.
Good News Translation
So the Israelites put some soldiers in hiding around Gibeah.
Literal Translation
And Israel set ambushers against Gibeah all around.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the children of Israel set a preuy watch agaynst Gibea rounde aboute,
American Standard Version
And Israel set liers-in-wait against Gibeah round about.
Bible in Basic English
So Israel put men secretly all round Gibeah to make a surprise attack on it.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Israel set lyers awayte round about Gibea.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Israel set liers-in-wait against Gibeah round about.
King James Version (1611)
And Israel set lyers in waite round about Gibeah.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the children of Israel set an ambush against Gabaa round about it.
English Revised Version
And Israel set liers in wait against Gibeah round about.
Berean Standard Bible
So Israel set up an ambush around Gibeah.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the sones of Israel settiden buyschementis bi the cumpas of the citee of Gabaa;
Young's Literal Translation
And Israel setteth liers in wait against Gibeah, round about,
Update Bible Version
And Israel set ambushers against Gibeah round about.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Israel set liers in wait around Gibeah.
World English Bible
Israel set liers-in-wait against Gibeah round about.
New King James Version
Then Israel set men in ambush all around Gibeah.
New Living Translation
So the Israelites set an ambush all around Gibeah.
New Life Bible
So Israel sent men to hide around Gibeah.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Israel set liers in wait against Gibeah, round about.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the children of Israel set ambushes round about the city of Gabaa:
Revised Standard Version
So Israel set men in ambush round about Gib'e-ah.
THE MESSAGE
This time Israel placed men in ambush all around Gibeah. On the third day when Israel set out, they took up the same positions before the Benjaminites as before. When the Benjaminites came out to meet the army, they moved out from the city. Benjaminites began to cut down some of the troops just as they had before. About thirty men fell in the field and on the roads to Bethel and Gibeah.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So Israel set men in ambush around Gibeah.

Contextual Overview

26 Then all the Israelites, the whole army, went back to Bethel and wept, sitting there before the Lord ; they fasted that day until evening. Then they offered burnt offerings and sacrifices of well-being before the Lord . 27 And the Israelites inquired of the Lord (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, 28 and Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, ministered before it in those days), saying, "Shall we go out once more to battle against our kinsfolk the Benjaminites, or shall we desist?" The Lord answered, "Go up, for tomorrow I will give them into your hand." 29 So Israel stationed men in ambush around Gibeah. 30 Then the Israelites went up against the Benjaminites on the third day, and set themselves in array against Gibeah, as before. 31 When the Benjaminites went out against the army, they were drawn away from the city. As before they began to inflict casualties on the troops, along the main roads, one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah, as well as in the open country, killing about thirty men of Israel. 32 The Benjaminites thought, "They are being routed before us, as previously." But the Israelites said, "Let us retreat and draw them away from the city toward the roads." 33 The main body of the Israelites drew back its battle line to Baal-tamar, while those Israelites who were in ambush rushed out of their place west of Geba. 34 There came against Gibeah ten thousand picked men out of all Israel, and the battle was fierce. But the Benjaminites did not realize that disaster was close upon them. 35 The Lord defeated Benjamin before Israel; and the Israelites destroyed twenty-five thousand one hundred men of Benjamin that day, all of them armed.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Israel: Though God had promised them success, they knew they could expect it only by the use of proper means. Hence they used all prudent precaution, and employed all their military skill.

liers: Judges 20:34, Joshua 8:4, 2 Samuel 5:23

Reciprocal: Joshua 8:2 - lay thee 1 Kings 22:5 - Inquire Nehemiah 4:11 - They shall not

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah. For though they were assured of success and victory, yet they thought proper to make use of means: and though their numbers were very great, they had recourse to art and stratagem, and set an ambush in divers places, much in like manner as Israel did for the men of Ai; the two cases being pretty much similar; this ambush was set in the night, as Josephus says s,

s Ut supra, (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 2.) sect. 11.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The stratagem described is exactly that by which Joshua took Ai (marginal reference).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Judges 20:29. Israel set liers in wait — Though God had promised them success, they knew they could expect it only in the use of the proper means. They used all prudent precaution, and employed all their military skill.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile