Joshua 8:9

Joshua 8:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Joshua therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in ambush, and abode between Beth–el and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged that night among the people.
• New International Version (NIV)Then Joshua sent them off, and they went to the place of ambush and lay in wait between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai—but Joshua spent that night with the people.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So Joshua sent them out. And they went to the place of ambush and lay between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai, but Joshua spent that night among the people.
• New King James Version (NKJV)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.

Context of Joshua 8:9

7Then you will emerge from the ambush and take possession of the city, for the Lord your God will hand it over to you. 8When you have taken the city, you shall set it on fire; you shall do [exactly] as the Lord commanded. See, I have commanded you.” So Joshua sent them off, and they went to the place for the ambush and stayed [hidden] between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai; but Joshua spent that night among the people [in Gilgal]. 10Now Joshua got up early in the morning and assembled the people, and went up with the elders of Israel before the people to Ai. 11Then all the fighting men who were with him went up and advanced and arrived in front of the city, and camped on the north side of Ai. Now there was a ravine between them and Ai.

Joshua 8:9 word by word

וַיִּשְׁלָחֵ֣ם יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ וַיֵּֽלְכוּ֙ אֶל־הַמַּאְרָ֔ב וַיֵּשְׁב֗וּ בֵּ֧ין בֵּֽית־אֵ֛ל וּבֵ֥ין הָעַ֖י מִיָּ֣ם לָעָ֑י וַיָּ֧לֶן יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ בַּלַּ֥יְלָה הַה֖וּא בְּת֥וֹךְ הָעָֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Joshuaיְהוֹשׁוּעַyehôshûa‛ yehôshûa‛ · JoshuaH3091
• therefore sent them forthשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• and they wentיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• to lie in ambushמַאֲרָבma'ărâb · ambushH3993
• and abodeיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• between Beth–elבֵּֽיתְ־אֵלbêyth-'êl · BethelH1008
• and Aiעַי‛ay ‛ayâ' ‛ayâth · AiH5857
• on the west sideיָםyâm · sea: westH3220
• lodgedלוּןlûn lîyn · to lodgeH3885
• that nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
• amongתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
• the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971

Cross-references for Joshua 8:9

• Joshua 8:12And Joshua took about five thousand men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.
• Joshua 7:2Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “Go up and spy out the land.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.
• Genesis 12:8Then he moved on from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord [in worship through prayer, praise, and thanksgiving].
• Ezra 2:28the men of Bethel and Ai, 223;
• Nehemiah 7:32the men of Bethel and Ai, 123;
• Genesis 32:21So the gift [of the herds of livestock] went on ahead of him, and he himself spent that night back in the camp.

Commentaries on Joshua 8:9

• 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. 4-9Joshua told the selected group what to expect from Israel’s main army. This special unit would be separated from Joshua’s direct command for almost two days. Because of this, they needed to understand clearly what they were supposed to do. Israel’s success in this second attack on Ai depended on exact timing. The group had to rush into the town at the right moment.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. between Beth-el and Ai--Beth-el, though lying quite near in the direction of west by north, cannot be seen from Tell-el-hajar; two rocky heights rise between both places, in the wady El-Murogede, just as the laying of an ambush to the west of Ai would require [Van De Velde; Robinson].Read the comment

Topics related to Joshua 8:9

• Ambush
• Armies
• Strategy

In the dictionaries

• Ai
• Joshua
• Ambush
• Heap
• Raise
• Wait
• Exodus, the Book of
• Joshua, Book of

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