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:
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• 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.

Context of Joshua 8:4

2And thou shalt do to Ai and its king as thou didst to Jericho and its king: only its spoil, and its cattle, shall ye take for a prey to yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it. 3So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by night. 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: 5And I, and all the people that are with me, will approach to the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them, 6(For they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: therefore we will flee before 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

• commandedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Beholdרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: behold!H7200
• waitאָרַב'ârab · to ambushH693
• cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• behindאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• goרָחַקrâchaq · to removeH7368
• veryמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
• readyכּוּןkûn · to establish: prepareH3559

Cross-references for Joshua 8:4

• Joshua 8:16And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue them: and they pursued Joshua, and were drawn away from the city.
• Judges 9:25And the men of Shechem set an ambush for him on the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech.
• Judges 20:29And Israel set men in ambush around Gibeah.
• 1 Samuel 15:2Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.
• Acts 23:21But do not thou yield to them: for there are of them who lie in wait for him more than forty men, who have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now they are ready, looking for a promise from thee.
• Ecclesiastes 7:19Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men who are in the city.
• Ecclesiastes 9:16Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

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