Joshua 8:18

18 The LORD said to Yehoshua, Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand toward `Ai; for I will give it into your hand. Yehoshua stretched out the javelin that was in his hand toward the city.

Joshua 8:18 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 8:18

And the Lord said unto Joshua, stretch out the spear that [is]
in thy hand towards Ai
On which was a flag, as Abarbinel and Ben Melech think; and which is not improbable, and served for a signal for the ambush to come out and seize the city, as both they and Jarchi observe, as well as a signal also to the army of Israel to prepare to turn and face about, and engage with the enemy; though they did not actually do this until they saw the smoke of the city, ( Joshua 8:21 ) ;

for I will give it into thine hand;
of which the stretching out of his spear seems also to be a confirming sign to him, and which he kept stretched out until all the inhabitants of Ai were destroyed, ( Joshua 8:26 ) ;

and Joshua stretched out the spear that [he had] in his hand toward
the city:
and therefore must turn himself towards it; and it is highly probable that at the same time there was a full stop of the army, and that they immediately turned or prepared to turn about.

Joshua 8:18 In-Context

16 All the people who were in the city were called together to pursue after them: and they pursued after Yehoshua, and were drawn away from the city.

17 There was not a man left in `Ai or Beit-El, who didn't go out after Yisra'el: and they left the city open, and pursued after Yisra'el.

18 The LORD said to Yehoshua, Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand toward `Ai; for I will give it into your hand. Yehoshua stretched out the javelin that was in his hand toward the city.

19 The ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand, and entered into the city, and took it; and they hurried and set the city on fire.

20 When the men of `Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people who fled to the wilderness turned back on the pursuers.