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.