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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)When the king of Ai saw the Israelites across the valley, he and all his army hurried out early in the morning and attacked the Israelites at a place overlooking the Jordan Valley. But he didn’t realize there was an ambush behind the town.

Context of Joshua 8:14

12Joshua had taken about five thousand men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the city. 13So the soldiers took up their positions—with the main camp to the north of the city and the ambush to the west of it. That night Joshua went into the valley. 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. 15Joshua and all Israel let themselves be driven back before them, and they fled toward the wilderness. 16All the men of Ai were called to pursue them, and they pursued Joshua and 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 and all those with me will advance on the city, and when the men come out against us, as they did before, we will flee from them.
• Judges 20:34Then ten thousand of Israel’s able young men made a frontal attack on Gibeah. The fighting was so heavy that the Benjamites did not realize how near disaster was.
• Ecclesiastes 9:12Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come: As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare, so people are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them.
• Isaiah 19:11The officials of Zoan are nothing but fools; the wise counselors of Pharaoh give senseless advice. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I am one of the wise men, a disciple of the ancient kings”?
• Daniel 4:31Even as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you.
• Matthew 24:39and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:1Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you,
• 2 Peter 2:3In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

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
• Ambush
• Arabah
• Heap
• Raise
• Wait
• Champaign
• 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