שופטים, פרק כ׳, פסוק ל״ב

In the heat of battle, a sharp contrast emerges between the illusion held by the fighters of Benjamin and the actual tactics employed by the Israelites. The warriors of Benjamin mistakenly believed that the opposing army was collapsing and unable to withstand their force. Seeing the Israelites taking heavy blows and appearing to face a clear defeat, they grew highly confident [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Because of what had happened in previous battles, they were certain that another victory was right in their grasp.

The truth on the ground, however, was entirely different. The Israelites were executing a carefully planned deception, retreating on purpose. The goal of this fake retreat was to cut off the Benjaminite fighters and draw them far away from the city [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. By luring the defenders out onto the open roads, the Israelites successfully left the area completely exposed. This maneuver was designed to allow a hidden ambush force to step into the unguarded city without facing any resistance [מצודת דוד].