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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)When the men of Ai looked behind them, smoke from the town was filling the sky, and they had nowhere to go. For the Israelites who had fled in the direction of the wilderness now turned on their pursuers.

Context of Joshua 8:20

18Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Hold out toward Ai the javelin that is in your hand, for into your hand I will deliver the city.” So Joshua held out toward the city the javelin that was in his hand. 19As soon as he did this, the men in the ambush rose quickly from their position and rushed forward. They entered the city and captured it and quickly set it on fire. 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. 21For when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city and that smoke was going up from it, they turned around and attacked the men of Ai. 22Those in the ambush also came out of the city against them, so that they were caught in the middle, with Israelites on both sides. Israel cut them down, leaving them neither survivors nor fugitives.

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• And when the menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• of Aiעַי‛ay ‛ayâ' ‛ayâth · AiH5857
• lookedפָּנָהpânâh · to turnH6437
• behindאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• them, they sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: behold!H7200
• and, behold, the smokeעָשָׁן‛âshân · smokeH6227
• of the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• ascended upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• to heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• and they had no powerיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• to fleeנוּסnûs · to fleeH5127
• this way or that wayהֵ֫נָּהhênnâh · here/thusH2008
• and the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• to the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
• turned backהָפַךְhâphak · to overturnH2015
• upon the pursuersרָדַףrâdaph · to pursueH7291

Cross-references for Joshua 8:20

• Genesis 19:28He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land of the plain, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace.
• Isaiah 34:10It will not be quenched night or day; its smoke will rise forever. From generation to generation it will lie desolate; no one will ever pass through it again.
• Revelation 18:9“When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her.
• Revelation 19:3And again they shouted: “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.”
• Job 11:20But the eyes of the wicked will fail, and escape will elude them; their hope will become a dying gasp.”
• Psalms 48:5they saw her and were astounded; they fled in terror.
• Psalms 76:5The valiant lie plundered, they sleep their last sleep; not one of the warriors can lift his hands.
• Amos 2:14The swift will not escape, the strong will not muster their strength, and the warrior will not save his life.
• Revelation 6:15Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in 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