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

2Then you will do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king—except you will take its spoil and its cattle as plunder for yourselves. Set an ambush for the city behind it.” 3So Joshua and all the people of war arose to go up to Ai. Joshua selected 30,000 men, valiant warriors, and sent them at night. He commanded them saying: “Look, you are going to ambush the city from behind it. Don’t go too far from the city, but all of you be ready. 5Then I and all the troops with me will approach the city. Then it will be when they come out against us, like the first time, that we will flee before them. 6So they will come out after us until we have drawn them away from the city. For they will think, ‘They are fleeing before us like the first time.’ While we are fleeing 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

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 8:16Then all the people who were in Ai were summoned to pursue them, so they pursued Joshua and were drawn away from the city.
• Judges 9:25So the lords of Shechem set up ambushers on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed anyone who passed by them along that road. So it was reported to Abimelech.
• Judges 20:29So Israel set men in ambush against Gibeah on all sides.
• 1 Samuel 15:2Thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot: ‘I remember what Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt.
• Acts 23:21But do not give in to them, for more than forty of them have bound themselves by an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. Even now, they are ready and waiting for your consent.”
• Ecclesiastes 7:19Wisdom makes a wise man stronger 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 not 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