Joshua 8:4 - Forerunner Commentary

Joshua 8:4

2 And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to ^aJericho and its king. Only ^bits spoil and its cattle you shall take as booty for yourselves. Lay an ambush for the city behind it.”

3 So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai; and Joshua chose thirty thousand mighty men of valor and sent them away by night.

4 And he commanded them, saying: “Behold, ^ayou shall lie in ambush against the city, behind the city. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready.

5 Then I and all the people who are with me will approach the city; and it will come about, when they come out against us as at the first, that ^awe shall flee before them.

6 For they will come out after us till we have drawn them from the city, for they will say, ‘They are fleeing before us as at the first.’ Therefore we will flee before them.

7 Then you shall rise from the ambush and seize the city, for the Lord your God will deliver it into your hand.

8 And it will be, when you have taken the city, that you shall set the city on fire. According to the commandment of the Lord you shall do. ^aSee, I have commanded you.”

9 Joshua therefore sent them out; and they went to lie in ambush, and stayed between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai; but Joshua lodged that night among the people.

10 Then Joshua rose up early in the morning and mustered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.

11 ^aAnd all the people of war who were with him went up and drew near; and they came before the city and camped on the north side of Ai. Now a valley lay between them and Ai.

12 So he took about five thousand men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.

13 And when they had set the people, all the army that was on the north of the city, and its rear guard on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.

14 Now it happened, when the king of Ai saw it, that the men of the city hurried and rose early and went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at an appointed place before the plain. But he ^adid not know that there was an ambush against him behind the city.

Verse Comparison: Joshua 8:4

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Joshua 8:5 >>

American Standard Version
And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in ambush against the city, behind the city; go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:

Amplified® Bible
And he commanded them, Behold, you shall lie in wait against the city behind it. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready.

Contemporary English Version
(SEE 8:3)

Darby English Version
And he commanded them, saying, See, ye shall be in ambush against the city, behind the city: go not very far from the city, and be all of you ready.

Good News Bible
with these orders: "Hide on the other side of the city, but not too far away from it; be ready to attack.

King James Version
And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:

New American Standard Bible
He commanded them, saying, "See, you are going to ambush the city from behind it. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready.

New International Version
with these orders: "Listen carefully. You are to set an ambush behind the city. Don't go very far from it. All of you be on the alert.

New King James Version
And he commanded them, saying: “Behold, you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind the city. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready.

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
He commanded them, saying, "See, you will ambush the city from behind it. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you remain ready.

Revised Standard Version
And he commanded them, "Behold, you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind it; do not go very far from the city, but hold yourselves all in readiness;

Young's Literal Translation
and commandeth them, saying, `See, ye are liers in wait against the city, at the rear of the city, ye go not very far off from the city, and all of you have been prepared,

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