Joshua 8:16

16 And all the people in Ai came together to go after them; and they went after Joshua, moving away from the town.

Joshua 8:16 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 8:16

And all the people that were in Ai [were] called together to
pursue after them
Because the host of Israel was very numerous, it was judged proper that all the people in Ai should assist in pursuing them, not only to kill the more in the pursuit, but to carry off the spoil and prisoners they should take; or rather the sense is, that all the people in Ai, which were come out with the king to battle, when they saw Israel flee, "cried" ^F24, or shouted, as soldiers do when victorious, "in" or "while pursuing" ^F25 after them;

and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city;
at some considerable distance from it; which was the design to be answered by feigning a flight.

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FOOTNOTES:

F24 (wqezw) "vociferantes", V. L. "vociferati sunt", Pagninus, Montanus.
F25 (Pdrl) "persequendo", Pagninus, Montanus.

Joshua 8:16 In-Context

14 Now when the king of Ai saw it, he got up quickly and went out to war against Israel, he and all his people, to the slope going down to the valley; but he had no idea that a secret force was waiting at the back of the town.

15 Then Joshua and all Israel, acting as if they were overcome before them, went in flight by way of the waste land.

16 And all the people in Ai came together to go after them; and they went after Joshua, moving away from the town.

17 There was not a man in Ai and Beth-el who did not go out after Israel; and the town was open and unwatched while they went after Israel.

18 And the Lord said to Joshua, Let your spear be stretched out against Ai; for I will give it into your hands. So Joshua took up his spear, stretching it out in the direction of the town.