Joshua 8:17

Joshua 8:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And there was not a man left in Ai or Beth–el, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.
• New International Version (NIV)Not a man remained in Ai or Bethel who did not go after Israel. They left the city open and went in pursuit of Israel.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel. They left the city open and pursued Israel.
• New King James Version (NKJV)There was not a man left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel. So they left the city open and pursued Israel.

Context of Joshua 8:17

15Then Joshua and all Israel pretended to be defeated before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness. 16And 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. So not a man was left in Ai or Bethel, but they had all gone out after Israel, and they left the city unguarded and pursued Israel. 18Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Reach out with the sword that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will hand it over to you.” So Joshua reached out with the sword that was in his hand toward the city. 19Then the men in ambush rose quickly from their place, and when he had reached out with his hand, they ran and entered the city and captured it, and they quickly set the city on fire.

Joshua 8:17 word by word

וְלֹֽא־נִשְׁאַ֣ר אִ֗ישׁ בָּעַי֙ וּבֵ֣ית אֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יָצְא֖וּ אַחֲרֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיַּעַזְב֤וּ אֶת־הָעִיר֙ פְּתוּחָ֔ה וַֽיִּרְדְּפ֖וּ אַחֲרֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פRead the interlinear

• So not a manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• was leftשָׁאַרshâ'ar · to remainH7604
• in Aiעַי‛ay ‛ayâ' ‛ayâth · AiH5857
• or Bethelבֵּֽיתְ־אֵלbêyth-'êl · BethelH1008
• but they had all goneיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• and they leftעָזַב‛âzab · to leave: forsakeH5800
• the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• unguardedפָּתַחpâthach · to openH6605
• and pursuedרָדַףrâdaph · to pursueH7291

Cross-references for Joshua 8:17

• Joshua 8:3So Joshua rose up with all the people of war to go up to Ai; and Joshua chose thirty thousand men, valiant warriors, and sent them out at night.
• Joshua 11:20For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts, to meet Israel in battle in order that he might utterly destroy them, that they might receive no mercy, but that he might destroy them, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
• Deuteronomy 2:30But Sihon king of Heshbon was not willing for us to pass through his land; for the Lord your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, in order to hand him over to you, as he is today.
• Job 5:13He captures the wise by their own cleverness, And the advice of the cunning is quickly thwarted.
• Isaiah 19:11The officials of Zoan are mere fools; The advice of Pharaoh’s wisest advisers has become stupid. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I am a son of the wise, a son of ancient kings”?

Commentaries on Joshua 8:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17There was not a man left in Ai or Beth-el - It is very likely that the principal strength of Beth-el had been previously brought into Ai, as the strongest place to make a stand in; Beth-el being but about three miles distant from Ai, and probably not greatly fortified. Therefore Ai contained on this occasion all the men of Beth-el - all the warriors of that city, as well as its own troops and inhabitants. Others think that the Beth-elites, seeing the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Or Bethel - See the Joshua 8:1 note.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. 17Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel: Soldiers often gained from war by taking trophies from defeated enemies or receiving rewards from their king for each enemy killed. The warriors of Bethel likely joined those of Ai because they feared Israel's advance.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-1715-17. Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them--the pretended flight in the direction of the wilderness; that is, southeast, into the Ghor, the desert valley of the Jordan, decoyed all the inhabitants of Ai out of the city, while the people of Beth-el hastened to participate in the expected victory. It is supposed by some, from "the city," and not "cities," being spoken of, that the effective force of Beth-el had been concentrated in…Read the comment

Topics related to Joshua 8:17

• Ambush
• Armies
• Beth-El
• Strategy

In the dictionaries

• Ai
• Israel
• Ambush
• Bethel
• Heap
• Raise
• Wait
• Exodus, the Book of
• Joshua (2)
• 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