20:39a the men of Israel would turn in the battle.

Then the other Israelites would attack.
-or-
⌊This would be the signal for⌋ the main group of Israel soldiers to turn and attack ⌊the Benjamin soldiers⌋ .

20:39b When the Benjamites had begun to strike them down, killing about thirty men of Israel,

So when the Benjamin soldiers had killed about thirty Israel soldiers
-or-
Then the soldiers of Benjamin began to win and they killed about thirty (30) soldiers of Israel.

20:39c they said, “They are defeated before us as in the first battle.”

they said to each other, “We (incl.) are winning the battle just like we did before.”
-or-
They thought they were going to defeat them as they had before.

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