A frequent misinterpretation reads 'liers in wait' as untrustworthy deceivers rather than soldiers lying in strategic ambush, twisting the verse into a cautionary tale against gullibility or alliances with liars, ignoring the military context and divine authorization; another error isolates it from the chapter's narrative of brutal tribal conflict sparked by Gibeah's outrage, portraying Israel as merely cunning aggressors without recognizing the pursuit of justice under God's repeated affirmations, thus distorting themes of communal accountability and holy war.
Judges 20:36
King James Version (1769)
36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah.
This passage captures a pivotal moment in the civil war against Benjamin, where the Israelites strategically feign retreat to draw out their enemies, relying confidently on the ambushers hidden near Gibeah as part of God's directed battle plan from prior divine consultations; it underscores the core truth of faithful obedience to God's tactical guidance, which overcomes apparent disadvantage and delivers victory amid the tragic consequences of unchecked sin within Israel.