The second part of this verse signals the start of the more detailed account of the battle, at its critical juncture. The narrator returns to recounting the battle from the Israelites’ perspective. He repeats in summary form the material of the previous seven verses (Judges 20:29–35). The Israelites had deliberately given ground to Benjamin to draw them out of Gibeah, because the Israelites relied upon the strength of the men in ambush whom they had set against Gibeah.
36 So the people of Benjamin saw that they were defeated.The men of Israel gave ground to Benjamin, because they trusted the men in ambush whom they had set against Gibeah.