Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 20:37
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.
37. hasted and rushed ] as did the ambush at Ai, Jos 8:19; but the words are different. See Jdg 9:33 n. drew themselves along
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Drew themselves along, or, extended themselves, i.e. whereas before they lay close and contracted into a narrow compass, now they spread themselves, and marched in rank and file, as armies do. Or, marched or went, Heb. drew their feet. So this verb is oft, used, as Gen 37:28; Exo 12:21; Jdg 4:6; Job 21:33.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And the liers in wait hasted,…. When the time was come agreed upon for them to rise out of their ambush:
and rushed upon Gibeah; at unawares, with great force and violence entered the city, and took possession of it; or “extended” x, or spread themselves unto it; before they lay close in a narrow compass, but now they put themselves in a regular order, and marched rank and file, and reached from the meadows in which they were, Jud 20:33, to the city:
and the liers in wait drew themselves along; along the city, in every part of it, spread themselves all over it, and made themselves masters of every corner of it; or “made a long sound” y with a trumpet, protracted that to a great length, which was done to terrify the inhabitants, or to let the Israelites know they were possessed of the city:
and smote all the city with the edge of the sword; old men, women, and children, who were not able to bear arms.
x “extenderunt se”, Tigurine version. y “pertraxerunt buccinae sonitum”, Paguninus; so Jarchi and Limchi.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(37) Results of the ambuscade. (Comp. Jos. 8:15; Jos. 8:19-20.)
Drew themselves along.The marginal suggestion, made a long sound with the trumpet, is untenable (See Jdg. 4:6.)
With The edge of the sword.See Jdg. 1:8; Jos. 8:24.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
37. Drew themselves along That is, marched forward, advanced; or, as we often say, drew on; not, as margin, made a long sound with the trumpets.
‘ And the liers in wait acted speedily, and rushed on Gibeah, and the liers in wait drew (or ‘extended’) themselves along and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.’
“Drew themselves along” may describe some tactic used. It may mean extended themselves along so as to attack over a wide range. This would make it more difficult for slingers. Or it may refer to what they did on entering the city, spreading out to slay all the inhabitants they could find. Whatever it was their tactics were successful.
The weakly defended city, with only one fighting unit available, was unable to stem the onset and succumbed, and all were put to the sword for they were seen as sharing the guilt of Gibeah. They were subject to The Ban, total extermination, for working folly in Israel, as with Achan and his family (Jos 7:15).
Jdg 20:37 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.
Ver. 37. And the liers in wait hasted. ] Here the business is more particularly related by the parts and circumstances, that God may be the more acknowledged, and people instructed that forbearance is no quittance. There will be a later reckoning with sinners, &c.
drew themselves along = marched forward.
the liers in wait hasted: Jos 8:19
drew themselves along: or, made a long sound with the trumpets, Exo 19:13, Jos 6:5
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge