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

12Joshua had taken about five thousand men and had them hide between Bethel and Ai, west of the city. 13All the troops were positioned. The main camp was north of the city, and the other troops were hiding west of the city. That night Joshua went down into the middle of the valley. When the king of Ai saw the main camp, he and all his troops got up early in the morning. They rushed out toward the plains to meet Israel for battle, just where ⌞Joshua⌟ expected. However, the king didn’t know there were troops behind the city waiting to attack him. 15Joshua and all Israel pretended to be defeated. They ran away toward the desert. 16All the troops in the city were called out to chase them. As they chased Joshua, they 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 8:5I’ll approach the city with the rest of the troops. When they come out to attack us as they did the first time, we will run away from them.
• Judges 20:34Then 10,000 of Israel’s best men attacked Gibeah. The battle was fierce. But Benjamin’s men didn’t realize their own evil was about to overtake them.
• Ecclesiastes 9:12No one knows when his time will come. Like fish that are caught in a cruel net or birds caught in a snare, humans are trapped by a disaster when it suddenly strikes them.
• Isaiah 19:11The leaders of Zoan are nothing but fools. The wisest of Pharaoh’s counselors gives stupid advice. How can you tell Pharaoh, “I’m a descendant of wise men, a descendant of ancient kings”?
• Daniel 4:31Before the words came out of his mouth, a voice said from heaven, “King Nebuchadnezzar, listen to this: The kingdom has been taken from you.
• Matthew 24:39They were not aware of what was happening until the flood came and swept all of them away. That is how it will be when the Son of Man comes again.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:1Brothers and sisters, you don’t need anyone to write to you about times and dates.
• 2 Peter 2:3In their greed they will use good-sounding arguments to exploit you. The verdict against them from long ago is still in force, and their destruction is not asleep.

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