Joshua 8:20

Joshua 8:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.
• New International Version (NIV)The men of Ai looked back and saw the smoke of the city rising up into the sky, but they had no chance to escape in any direction; the Israelites who had been fleeing toward the wilderness had turned back against their pursuers.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So when the men of Ai looked back, behold, the smoke of the city went up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that, for the people who fled to the wilderness turned back against the pursuers.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and behold, the smoke of the city ascended to heaven. So they had no power to flee this way or that way, and the people who had fled to the wilderness turned back on the pursuers.

Context of Joshua 8:20

18Then the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Hold out the spear that is in your hand. Point it towards Ai. I am now giving the city to you.’ So Joshua held out his spear towards Ai. 19As soon as he did this, the men who were hiding behind the city came out quickly. They ran into the city and they took it. Immediately, they used fire to burn it. The men of Ai looked behind them and they saw smoke in the sky above the city. But they could do nothing to escape. The Israelites who had been running away from them now turned round to fight them. 21Joshua and his army also saw the smoke. They knew that the other group of soldiers had taken the city. So they turned round and began to attack the men of Ai. 22Now the Israelites who had gone into the city also came out to fight. So the men of Ai were in between the two groups of Israelite soldiers. The Israelites killed all the men of Ai.

Joshua 8:20 word by word

וַיִּפְנ֣וּ אַנְשֵׁי֩ הָעַ֨י אַחֲרֵיהֶ֜ם וַיִּרְא֗וּ וְהִנֵּ֨ה עָלָ֜ה עֲשַׁ֤ן הָעִיר֙ הַשָּׁמַ֔יְמָה וְלֹא־הָיָ֨ה בָהֶ֥ם יָדַ֛יִם לָנ֖וּס הֵ֣נָּה וָהֵ֑נָּה וְהָעָם֙ הַנָּ֣ס הַמִּדְבָּ֔ר נֶהְפַּ֖ךְ אֶל־הָרוֹדֵֽף׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And when the menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• of Aiעַי‛ay ‛ayâ' ‛ayâth · AiH5857
• lookedפָּנָהpânâh · to turnH6437
• behindאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• them, they sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: behold!H7200
• and, behold, the smokeעָשָׁן‛âshân · smokeH6227
• of the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• ascended upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• to heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• and they had no powerיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• to fleeנוּסnûs · to fleeH5127
• this way or that wayהֵ֫נָּהhênnâh · here/thusH2008
• and the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• to the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
• turned backהָפַךְhâphak · to overturnH2015
• upon the pursuersרָדַףrâdaph · to pursueH7291

Cross-references for Joshua 8:20

• Genesis 19:28He looked towards Sodom and Gomorrah and the whole valley. He saw thick dark smoke that was rising from the land. It was the smoke from a big fire.
• Isaiah 34:10That fire will burn through the days and the nights. Its smoke will always continue to rise up. The land will be empty from one century to the next. Nobody will ever travel through it again.
• Revelation 18:9When all that happens, the kings on the earth will be very sad. They enjoyed the bad things that people did in that city. They had many expensive things so that they were happy. Now they will see the smoke from the fire that burns the city. As a result, they will cry and they will weep.
• Revelation 19:3Then the crowd of people in heaven shouted again, ‘Praise the Lord our God! The smoke from the fire that burns that city will go up for ever.’
• Job 11:20But wicked people will not find any help. They cannot escape from their troubles. They can only hope to die.’
• Psalms 48:5But when they come near and they see it, they are very surprised. It frightens them so much that they quickly run away!
• Psalms 76:5You won against brave soldiers, so that we robbed them of everything. Now they are sleeping, and they will never wake up! They are completely helpless.
• Amos 2:14You might try to run away. But nobody will get free. Even the fastest runner will not get free. The strong people will not be strong enough to stop me. The soldiers will not be able to save their lives.
• Revelation 6:15Then everyone on the earth hid themselves. They went to the mountains and they hid among the rocks and in holes in the rocks. Everyone tried to hide, even the kings and the rulers. The soldiers' leaders, the rich people and other powerful people all went to hide. Everyone hid, whether they were slaves or free people.

Commentaries on Joshua 8:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20They had no power to flee this way or that way - They were in utter consternation; they saw that the city was taken, they found themselves in the midst of their foes; that their wives, children, and property, had fallen a prey to their enemies, in consequence of which they were so utterly panic-struck as to be incapable of making any resistance.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
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2518-25. Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city--The uplifted spear had probably a flag, or streamer on it, to render it the more conspicuous from the height where he stood. At the sight of this understood signal the ambush nearest the city, informed by their scouts, made a sudden rush and took possession of the city, telegraphing to their brethren by raising a smoke from the walls. Upon seeing this, the main body, who had…Read the comment

Topics related to Joshua 8:20

• Ambush
• Armies
• Strategy

In the dictionaries

• Ai
• Ambush
• Heap
• Raise
• Wait
• Ascend
• Exodus, the Book of
• Hand
• Joshua, Book of
• Natural Features

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