But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke,.... Fire being set to it by the liers in wait, who had entered it, and who made a large fire, which caused a vast pillar of flame and smoke to arise, which might be seen a great way off:
the Benjamites looked behind them; perhaps at hearing the blowing of the trumpet, and the long sound of that:
and, behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven; went upwards, and reached to a great height.