But when the cloud began to arise up out of the city in a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them; and, behold, the whole of the city went up in smoke to the sky.
"The word for ’whole’ (kalil, Judges 20:40) is often used of ’whole burnt offerings’ (Deuteronomy 33:10) and is in fact used of burning a town whose people have become involved in idolatry (Deuteronomy 13:16). The entire town [of Gibeah] literally became a burnt offering!" [Note: Ibid., p. 500.] 