Joshua 8:17

17 and there hath not been left a man in Ai and Bethel who hath not gone out after Israel, and they leave the city open, and pursue after Israel.

Joshua 8:17 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 8:17

And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel that went not
out after Israel
For as these two places were very near to each other, but a mile apart, they were in confederacy, and acted together, and could easily be called to the help of each other when required: though there is a difficulty how the men of Bethel could join those of Ai, when the ambush lay between them both, ( Joshua 8:12 ) ; they either went another way, or the ambush purposely let them pass, for fear of a discovery by a skirmish with them, and that Bethel as well as Ai might be cleared of its armed inhabitants, and so fall an easy prey to them as well as Ai: this must be understood only of men of war; for otherwise there were inhabitants left, as old men, and such as were unfit for war, afterwards slain, ( Joshua 8:24 Joshua 8:25 ) ;

and they left the city open:
they did not stay to shut the gates, nor left porters or any guards about, to take care of, protect, and defend the city:

and pursued after Israel;
with great eagerness and vehemence, not having the least apprehension of their city being in any danger.

Joshua 8:17 In-Context

15 And Joshua and all Israel [seem] stricken before them, and flee the way of the wilderness,

16 and all the people who [are] in the city are called to pursue after them, and they pursue after Joshua, and are drawn away out of the city,

17 and there hath not been left a man in Ai and Bethel who hath not gone out after Israel, and they leave the city open, and pursue after Israel.

18 And Jehovah saith unto Joshua, `Stretch out with the javelin which [is] in thy hand towards Ai, for into thy hand I give it;' and Joshua stretcheth out with the javelin which [is] in his hand toward the city,

19 and the ambush hath risen [with] haste, out of its place, and they run at the stretching out of his hand, and go into the city, and capture it, and hasten, and burn the city with fire.