Joshua 8:4

Joshua 8:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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 International Version (NIV)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 (NKJV)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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)with these orders: “Hide in ambush close behind the town and be ready for action.

Context of Joshua 8:4

2And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king. Only its spoil and its livestock you shall take as plunder for yourselves. Lay an ambush against the city, behind it." 3So Joshua and all the fighting men arose to go up to Ai. And Joshua chose 30,000 mighty men of valor and sent them out by night. And he commanded them, "Behold, you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind it. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you remain ready. 5And I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. And when they come out against us just as before, we shall flee before them. 6And they will come out after us, until we have drawn them away from the city. For they will say, 'They are fleeing from us, just as before.' So we will flee before them.

Joshua 8:4 word by word

וַיְצַ֨ו אֹתָ֜ם לֵאמֹ֗ר רְ֠אוּ אַתֶּ֞ם אֹרְבִ֤ים לָעִיר֙ מֵאַחֲרֵ֣י הָעִ֔יר אַל־תַּרְחִ֥יקוּ מִן־הָעִ֖יר מְאֹ֑ד וִהְיִיתֶ֥ם כֻּלְּכֶ֖ם נְכֹנִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he commandedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
• them, sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Beholdרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: behold!H7200
• ye shall lie in waitאָרַב'ârab · to ambushH693
• against the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• behindאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• goרָחַקrâchaq · to removeH7368
• not veryמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
• but be ye all readyכּוּןkûn · to establish: prepareH3559

Cross-references for Joshua 8:4

• Joshua 8:16So all the people who were in the city were called together to pursue them, and as they pursued Joshua they were drawn away from the city.
• Judges 9:25And the leaders of Shechem put men in ambush against him on the mountaintops, and they robbed all who passed by them along that way. And it was told to Abimelech.
• Judges 20:29So Israel set men in ambush around Gibeah.
• 1 Samuel 15:2Thus says the Lord of hosts, 'I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt.
• Acts 23:21But do not be persuaded by them, for more than forty of their men are lying in ambush for him, who have bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they have killed him. And now they are ready, waiting for your consent."
• Ecclesiastes 7:19Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.
• Ecclesiastes 9:16But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man's wisdom is despised and his words are not heard.

Commentaries on Joshua 8:4

• 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. 44. behind the city--is rendered (Jos 8:9), "on the west side of Ai."Read the comment

Topics related to Joshua 8:4

• Ambush
• Armies
• Strategy

In the dictionaries

• Ai
• 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