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, “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. When the men of Ai turned back and looked, behold, the smoke of the city ascended to the sky, and they had no place to flee this way or that, for the people who had been fleeing to the wilderness turned against the pursuers. 21When Joshua and all Israel saw that the men in ambush had captured the city and that the smoke of the city ascended, they turned back and killed the men of Ai. 22The others came out from the city to confront them, so that they were trapped in the midst of Israel, some on this side and some on that side; and they killed them until there was not one left who escaped or survived.

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

• When the menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• of Aiעַי‛ay ‛ayâ' ‛ayâth · AiH5857
• turnedפָּנָהpânâh · to turnH6437
• backאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• and lookedרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: behold!H7200
• beholdהִנֵּהhinnêh · beholdH2009
• the smokeעָשָׁן‛âshân · smokeH6227
• of the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• ascendedעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• to the skyשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• and they hadהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• noלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• placeיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• to fleeנוּסnûs · to fleeH5127
• thisהֵ֫נָּהhênnâh · here/thusH2008
• or that, for the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• to the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
• turnedהָפַךְhâphak · to overturnH2015
• againstאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• the pursuersרָדַףrâdaph · to pursueH7291

Cross-references for Joshua 8:20

• Genesis 19:28and he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the surrounding area; and behold, he saw the smoke of the land ascended like the smoke of a furnace.
• Isaiah 34:10It will not be extinguished night or day; Its smoke will go up forever. From generation to generation it will be desolate; None will pass through it forever and ever.
• Revelation 18:9“And the kings of the earth, who committed acts of sexual immorality and lived luxuriously with her, will weep and mourn over her when they see the smoke of her burning,
• Revelation 19:3And a second time they said, “Hallelujah! Her smoke rises forever and ever.”
• Job 11:20But the eyes of the wicked will fail, And there will be no escape for them; And their hope is to breathe their last.”
• Psalms 48:5They saw it, then they were amazed; They were terrified, they fled in a hurry.
• Psalms 76:5The stouthearted were plundered, They sank into sleep; And none of the warriors could use his hands.
• Amos 2:14Refuge will be lost from the swift, And the strong will not strengthen his power, Nor the warrior save his life.
• Revelation 6:15Then the kings of the earth and the eminent people, and the commanders and the wealthy and the strong, and every slave and free person hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains;

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