Joshua 8:11

11 And all the people of war that were with him went up, and drew near, and came before the city; and they encamped on the north of Ai; and the valley was between them and Ai.

Joshua 8:11 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 8:11

And all the people, [even the people] of war that [were] with
him, and went up, and drew nigh
To the city of Ai:

and came before the city;
as if they intended to besiege it, storm it, or force an entrance into it:

and pitched on the north side of Ai;
which was judged fittest for the purpose:

now [there was] a valley between them and Ai;
which the Rabbins call the valley of Halacah, as Jarchi says; so that they were upon a hill, at least on rising ground, and might the more easily be seen by the inhabitants of Ai, whom they wanted to draw out of their city.

Joshua 8:11 In-Context

9 And Joshua sent them forth; and they went to lie in ambush, and abode between Bethel and Ai, on the west of Ai. And Joshua lodged that night among the people.

10 And Joshua rose early in the morning, and inspected the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.

11 And all the people of war that were with him went up, and drew near, and came before the city; and they encamped on the north of Ai; and the valley was between them and Ai.

12 Now he had taken about five thousand men, and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west of the city.

13 And when they had set the people, the whole camp on the north of the city, and their ambush on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.