Though this verse continues the flashback, it is part of the story climax, with the final clause being marked by the important Hebrew discourse marker hinneh, rendered behold. Other features of this climax include the repetition of the verb ʿalah meaning “go up” (rendered once as rise and once as went up), as well as the word smoke. This picture of an Israelite city going up in smoke brings to mind the holocaust sacrifice, that is, the “burnt offering” (verse 20.26). Though this story is an exciting tale of victory, it also has strong overtones of sadness. It is not Israel’s victory over her enemies which is being recounted, but the account of a terrible civil war resulting in the death of thousands of Israelites. Translators should reflect on how to convey the climactic but sad tone here. Again there seem to be subtle but ironic links back to the story of Lot and his wife (Gen 19.23-29).

But when the signal began to rise out of the city in a column of smoke renders an independent clause in Hebrew, which is literally “And the rising began to go up from the town, a pillar of smoke.” Good News Translation maintains the independent clause, saying “Then the signal appeared…,” which is a very lively rendering. However, Revised Standard Version and many other versions prefer to cast this independent clause as a dependent time clause. Indeed, in many African languages dependent clauses often lead up to a climax. Since the Benjaminites are thinking one thing, but a contrary situation is developing, But renders well the Hebrew waw conjunction here. For most of the terms used here, see verse 20.38. The new element added here is the word column, which reminds the audience of the time that the Israelites were guided by a “pillar” of cloud by day and a “pillar” of fire by night (Exo 13.21-22). We might say “But when the column of smoke rose from the town” or “When the smoke rose like a tall column from the town.”

The Benjaminites looked behind them is literally “and Benjamin turned behind him,” which means the Benjaminites turned around to look at what was happening to their town. The Hebrew verb for “turned” (panah) differs from the one used in the previous verse. Here the meaning is “turn to look.” The phrase behind them may be left implied by rendering this clause as “the Benjamites looked back” (Revised English Bible) or simply “the Benjamites turned” (New International Version). This clause is another independent one in Hebrew, but it can also be cast as a dependent temporal clause to lead up to the climax by saying “and as the Benjaminites turned around.”

And behold, the whole of the city went up in smoke to heaven: When the Benjaminites turned around, they saw a shocking sight: their town was going up in flames. And behold introduces a clause describing what they saw. Behold, which renders the Hebrew word hinneh, marks the climax here. Translators need to use features from their language which serve a similar function. Since hinneh often involves seeing something that is surprising or shocking, New Revised Standard Version ends this sentence with an exclamation point. Good News Translation‘s “and they were amazed to see…” seems too weak. It would be better to say “and they were horrified/shocked to see…” or “They watched in horror as….”

The whole of the city went up in smoke to heaven is literally “all of the city went up [to] the skies.” The city refers to the town of Gibeah. The Hebrew verb rendered went up is not modified, but Revised Standard Version adds in smoke to clarify its sense in this context. Another possible rendering is “went up in flames.” In this context heaven does not refer to the dwelling place of God, but to the sky. The smoke was rising high in the sky—so high that it could be seen from far away. Some languages may prefer to use the past progressive tense for this climax statement, for example, “Their whole town was burning and the smoke was going high into the sky!” or simply “Their whole town was going up in flames!”

Translation models for this verse are:

• As the Benjaminites turned and looked behind them, a column of smoke was rising up into the sky! Their whole town was going up in flames!

• As the smoke began to rise, the Benjaminites turned and saw it, and realized, with horror, that their whole town was going up in flames!

Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .