Joshua 8:4

Joshua 8:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he commanded them, "Behold, you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind it. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you remain ready.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And he commanded them, saying: “Behold, you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind the city. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready.
• New Living Translation (NLT)with these orders: “Hide in ambush close behind the town and be ready for action.

Context of Joshua 8:4

2You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the city.” 3So Joshua and the whole army moved out to attack Ai. He chose thirty thousand of his best fighting men and sent them out at night with these orders: “Listen carefully. You are to set an ambush behind the city. Don’t go very far from it. All of you be on the alert. 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. 6They will pursue us until we have lured them away from the city, for they will say, ‘They are running away from us as they did before.’ So when we flee from them,

Joshua 8:4 word by word

וַיְצַ֨ו אֹתָ֜ם לֵאמֹ֗ר רְ֠אוּ אַתֶּ֞ם אֹרְבִ֤ים לָעִיר֙ מֵאַחֲרֵ֣י הָעִ֔יר אַל־תַּרְחִ֥יקוּ מִן־הָעִ֖יר מְאֹ֑ד וִהְיִיתֶ֥ם כֻּלְּכֶ֖ם נְכֹנִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he commandedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
• them, sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Beholdרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: behold!H7200
• ye shall lie in waitאָרַב'ârab · to ambushH693
• against the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• behindאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• goרָחַקrâchaq · to removeH7368
• not veryמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
• but be ye all readyכּוּןkûn · to establish: prepareH3559

Cross-references for Joshua 8:4

• Joshua 8:16All the men of Ai were called to pursue them, and they pursued Joshua and were lured away from the city.
• Judges 9:25In opposition to him these citizens of Shechem set men on the hilltops to ambush and rob everyone who passed by, and this was reported to Abimelek.
• Judges 20:29Then Israel set an ambush around Gibeah.
• 1 Samuel 15:2This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt.
• Acts 23:21Don’t give in to them, because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.”
• Ecclesiastes 7:19Wisdom makes one wise person more powerful than ten rulers in a city.
• Ecclesiastes 9:16So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded.

Commentaries on Joshua 8:4

• 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. 4-9Joshua told the selected group what to expect from Israel’s main army. This special unit would be separated from Joshua’s direct command for almost two days. Because of this, they needed to understand clearly what they were supposed to do. Israel’s success in this second attack on Ai depended on exact timing. The group had to rush into the town at the right moment.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. behind the city--is rendered (Jos 8:9), "on the west side of Ai."Read the comment

Topics related to Joshua 8:4

• Ambush
• Armies
• Strategy

In the dictionaries

• Ai
• Ambush
• Heap
• Raise
• Wait
• 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