He commanded them, saying, “Behold, you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind the city. Don’t go very far from the city, but all of you be ready.
Parallel Translations
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He commanded them, saying, “Behold, you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind the city. Don’t go very far from the city, but all of you be ready.
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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:
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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.
Cross-references (10)
Passages linked to Joshua 8:4 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Judges 20:29 Israel set ambushes all around Gibeah.
- Joshua 8:16 All the people who were in the city were called together to pursue after them. They pursued Joshua, and were drawn away from the city.
- Judges 9:25 The men of Shechem set an ambush for him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who came along that way by them; and Abimelech was told about it.
- Judges 20:33 All the men of Israel rose up out of their place and set themselves in array at Baal Tamar. Then the ambushers of Israel broke out of their place, even out of Maareh Geba.
- Judges 20:36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were struck, for the men of Israel yielded to Benjamin because they trusted the ambushers whom they had set against Gibeah.
- 1 Samuel 15:2 Yahweh of Armies says, ‘I remember what Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way, when he came up out of Egypt.
- 1 Samuel 15:5 Saul came to the city of Amalek, and set an ambush in the valley.
- Ecclesiastes 7:19 Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.
- Ecclesiastes 9:16 Then I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
- Acts 23:21 Therefore don’t yield to them, for more than forty men lie in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse to neither eat nor drink until they have killed him. Now they are ready, looking for the promise from you.”
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (11 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain God would not destroy Ai by miracle, as Jericho,…
God would not destroy Ai by miracle, as Jericho, to the intent that other nations might fear the power and policy of his people.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Jos 8:4 And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye…
Jos 8:4 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:
Ver. 4. Ye shall lie in wait.] See Jos 8:2.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain He commanded them; the same party last spoken of,…
He commanded them; the same party last spoken of, Jos 8:3, even the five thousand mentioned Jos 8:12. This historical-narration seems obscure and intricate, and at first view to make three parties, one of thirty thousand, Jos 8:3; one of five thousand, Jos 8:12, which may seem to be two several ambushes; and a third of all the people, Jos 8:5,11. But if it be more narrowly and considerately observed, it will appear that there are only two parties engaged in the taking of Ai, and but one ambush, as plainly appears by comparing Jos 8:9 (which manifestly speaks of that party which is mentioned Jos 8:3) with Jos 8:12, which speaks only of five thousand, which is justly supposed to be a part of those thirty thousand named Jos 8:3, and that part which was to lie in ambush; unless we will suppose that there were two ambushes, one of thirty thousand, and the other of five thousand, both lying in wait in the same quarter, even between Beth-el and Ai, on the west side of Ai, the only place where the ambush lay, as is said both Jos 8:9,12,13, which seems absurd and incredible. And besides, in the execution of this command, there is mention but of one ambush, Jos 8:12-14,19, and they are said to consist only of five thousand, Jos 8:12, and they only take and burn the city, Jos 8:19; so that the other supposed ambush of thirty thousand is perfectly vanished and lost, and did nothing in this work; which also is very improbable. And therefore that thirty thousand, Jos 8:3, are the same who are called the people, and the people of war that were with Joshua, Jos 8:5,11, which is pitched on the north side of Ai, Jos 8:11,13, as the ambush did on the west side; but for any other side of the city, or a third party placed elsewhere about Ai, we read not one word; and therefore it may well be presumed there were no more employed to take it.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And he commanded them, saying,.... At the time he…
And he commanded them, saying,.... At the time he sent them away:
behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city; that is, on the west side of it, Jos 8:9,
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go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready; to enter into it, as soon as the forces are drawn out eastward to meet the army of Israel.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Them - The same party last spoken of, even…
Them - The same party last spoken of, even the five thousand mentioned ver. 12, there are only two parties engaged in the taking of Ai, and but one ambush, as plainly appears by comparing ver. 9, with ver. 12, which speaks only of five thousand, who are justly supposed to be a part of those thirty thousand named, ver. 3.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Ready to enter the city, when its soldiers are…
Ready to enter the city, when its soldiers are all in pursuit of us. (Haydock)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain behind the city--is rendered (Jos 8:9), "on the west…
behind the city--is rendered (Jos 8:9), "on the west side of Ai."
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 4. He commanded them — That is, the five…
4. He commanded them — That is, the five thousand who were to form the ambuscade. To these the words from this verse on through Jos_8:8 are addressed. But of course all these plans for the battle were also made known to the rest of the army.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 4. go not very far from the city] They…
4. go not very far from the city] They would station themselves high up in the Wâdy Harith, at no great distance from the city, and between it and Bethel.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (4-8) Joshua’s general plan of operations is stated in…
(4-8) Joshua’s general plan of operations is stated in these verses. The following verses explain how it was worked out.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 8:4-9 Joshua told the select squad what to expect…
8:4-9 Joshua told the select squad what to expect from Israel’s main army. Because this special unit would be separated from Joshua’s command for nearly forty-eight hours, they needed to understand exactly what to do. Israel’s success in this second attempt on Ai depended on the precise timing of their rush into the town.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.