Judges 20:32
“The children of Benjamin said, “They are struck down before us, as at the first.” But the children of Israel said, “Let us flee, and draw them away from the city to the highways.””
What does Judges 20:32 mean?
The Benjamites in this moment believed they were winning the battle, just as they had in an earlier clash. But Israel's army was actually executing a strategic retreat, deliberately pulling Benjamin's forces away from their fortified city so the fight would be on more open ground. It's a powerful reminder that what looks like victory or defeat in the moment can be entirely deceiving, and that sometimes stepping back is part of a larger plan. When you're in a hard season, this speaks to trusting that God can work through apparent setbacks and that you don't always see the full picture of what's unfolding.