Joshua 8:14

Joshua 8:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain; but he wist not that there were liers in ambush against him behind the city.
• New International Version (NIV)When the king of Ai saw this, he and all the men of the city hurried out early in the morning to meet Israel in battle at a certain place overlooking the Arabah. But he did not know that an ambush had been set against him behind the city.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And as soon as the king of Ai saw this, he and all his people, the men of the city, hurried and went out early to the appointed place toward the Arabah to meet Israel in battle. But he did not know that there was an ambush against him behind the city.
• New King James Version (NKJV)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 did not know that there was an ambush against him behind the city.

Context of Joshua 8:14

12And Joshua took about five thousand men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city. 13So they stationed the people, all the army—the main encampment that was north of the city, and their rear guard on the west side of the city—and Joshua spent that night in the valley. Now when the king [and the people] of Ai saw it, the men of the city hurried and got up early and went out to meet Israel in battle, the king and all his people at the appointed [time and] place before the desert plain (the Arabah). But he did not know that there was an ambush against him [waiting] behind the city [on the west side]. 15So Joshua and all Israel pretended to be defeated by them, and ran toward the wilderness. 16Then all the people who were in the city were called together to pursue them, and they pursued Joshua and were lured away from the city.

Joshua 8:14 word by word

וַיְהִ֞י כִּרְא֣וֹת מֶֽלֶךְ־הָעַ֗י וַֽיְמַהֲר֡וּ וַיַּשְׁכִּ֡ימוּ וַיֵּצְא֣וּ אַנְשֵֽׁי־הָעִ֣יר לִקְרַֽאת־יִ֠שְׂרָאֵל לַֽמִּלְחָמָ֞ה ה֧וּא וְכָל־עַמּ֛וֹ לַמּוֹעֵ֖ד לִפְנֵ֣י הָֽעֲרָבָ֑ה וְהוּא֙ לֹ֣א יָדַ֔ע כִּֽי־אֹרֵ֥ב ל֖וֹ מֵאַחֲרֵ֥י הָעִֽיר׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And it came to pass, when the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• of Aiעַי‛ay ‛ayâ' ‛ayâth · AiH5857
• sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• that they hastedמָהַרmâhar · to hastenH4116
• and rose up earlyשָׁכַםshâkam · to riseH7925
• and the menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• of the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• went outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• againstקִרְאָהqir'âh · befallH7125
• Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• to battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
• he and all his peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• at a time appointedמוֹעֵדmô‛êd mô‛êd mô‛âdâh · meeting: time appointedH4150
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• the plainעֲרָבָה‛ărâbâh · ArabahH6160
• but he wistיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• liers in ambushאָרַב'ârab · to ambushH693
• against him behindאַחַר'achar · afterH310

Cross-references for Joshua 8:14

• Joshua 8:5Then I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. And when they come out to meet us [for battle] as [they did] the first time, we will run away from them.
• Judges 20:34When the ten thousand choice [fighting] men from all Israel came against Gibeah, the battle was hard and fierce; but the Benjamites did not realize that disaster was about to strike them.
• Ecclesiastes 9:12For man also does not know his time [of death]; like fish caught in a treacherous net, and birds caught in the snare, so the sons of men are ensnared in an evil time when a dark cloud suddenly falls on them.
• Isaiah 19:11The princes of Zoan are complete fools; The counsel of the Pharaoh’s wisest advisors has become stupid. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I am a son of the wise, a son of ancient kings?”
• Daniel 4:31While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came [as if falling] from heaven, saying, ‘O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: “The kingdom has been removed from you,
• Matthew 24:39and they did not know or understand until the flood came and swept them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be [unexpected judgment].
• 1 Thessalonians 5:1Now as to the times and dates, brothers and sisters, you have no need for anything to be written to you.
• 2 Peter 2:3And in their greed they will exploit you with false arguments and twisted doctrine. Their sentence [of condemnation which God has decreed] from a time long ago is not idle [but is still in force], and their destruction and deepening misery is not asleep [but is on its way].

Commentaries on Joshua 8:14

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14At a time appointed - Rather, “at the place appointed,” i. e. some spot suitable for the drawing up of his men, which had been assigned beforehand. This was “before the plain,” i. e. it was at the entrance of the depressed tract of land which runs down to the Jordan valley, up which lay the route of the Israelites from Gilgal to Ai.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 3-22Verses 3-22 Observe Joshua's conduct and prudence. Those that would maintain their spiritual conflicts must not love their ease. Probably he went into the valley alone, to pray to God for a blessing, and he did not seek in vain. He never drew back till the work was done. Those that have stretched out their hands against their spiritual enemies, must never draw them back.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14The king of Ai and all his army were eager to repeat what they thought was their success in the earlier battle. They acted without caution. As Joshua and Israel had already learned, this kind of confidence can lead to danger.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 11-1411-14. there was a valley between them and Ai--literally, "the valley."Read the comment

Topics related to Joshua 8:14

• Ambush
• Armies
• Strategy

In the dictionaries

• Ai
• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Ambush
• Arabah
• Heap
• Raise
• Wait
• Champaign

Commentaries on Joshua 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings