Joshua 8:5

5 and I, and all the people that are with me, will approach unto the city. And it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them;

Joshua 8:5 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 8:5

And I and all the people that [are] with me will approach unto
the city
That is, Joshua with the main body of the army would march up to the city the next morning, in order to draw out the inhabitants of it to fight them:

and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the
first;
as they had done before, when the three thousand were sent against them, ( Joshua 7:4 Joshua 7:5 ) ;

that we will flee before them;
as the three thousand did, which would animate them to pursue them with the greater eagerness, and to a distance from their city.

Joshua 8:5 In-Context

3 So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up to Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand men, the mighty men of valor, and sent them forth by night.

4 And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in ambush against the city, behind the city; go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:

5 and I, and all the people that are with me, will approach unto 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 and they will come out after us, till we have drawn them away from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: so we will flee before them;

7 and ye shall rise up from the ambush, and take possession of the city: for Jehovah your God will deliver it into your hand.