Joshua 8:2

2 You will do to Ai and its king that which you did to Jericho and its king; you may take only its spoils and livestock as booty for yourself. Set for yourself an ambush against the city [from] behind [it]."

Joshua 8:2 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 8:2

And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst to Jericho
and her king
Burn the one and slay the other:

only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a
prey unto yourselves;
which they were not allowed to do at Jericho:

lay thee an ambush for the city behind it;
at the west side of it: some have called in question the lawfulness of the ambush, but, as this was appointed by the Lord, there is no room for it.

Joshua 8:2 In-Context

1 Then Yahweh said to Joshua, "Do not fear or be dismayed. Take {all the fighting men} with you {and go up immediately to Ai}. Look, I am giving into your hand the king of Ai, his city, and his land.

2 You will do to Ai and its king that which you did to Jericho and its king; you may take only its spoils and livestock as booty for yourself. Set for yourself an ambush against the city [from] behind [it]."

3 So Joshua and {all the fighting men} went up immediately to Ai. Joshua chose thirty thousand of the best fighting men and sent them [by] night.

4 And he commanded them, saying, "Look, you are to lay an ambush against the city from behind. Do not go very far from the city and be ready.

5 Then I and all of the people who [are] with me will approach the city. And when they go out to meet us {as before}, we will flee from them.

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew "spoil"