(39) And when the men of Israel retired.--This merely repeats with more graphic details the fact already mentioned in Judges 20:31. The "when" should be omitted, and from "Benjamin began" to the end of the next verse is parenthetic.

17:7-13 Micah thought it was a sign of God's favour to him and his images, that a Levite should come to his door. Thus those who please themselves with their own delusions, if Providence unexpectedly bring any thing to their hands that further them in their evil way, are apt from thence to think that God is pleased with them.And when the men of Israel retired in the battle,.... Which is before expressed by their fleeing, and giving place to the Benjaminites, and was only an artifice of theirs, to draw them off from the city:

Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons; which was done in the highways leading to Shiloh and Gibeah in the field, Judges 20:31.

for they said, surely they are smitten down before us as in the first battle; when the greater number of the Israelites were slain by them.