Joshua 8:11

11 And all the fighting-men who were with him went up and came near the town, and took up a position on the north side of Ai facing the town, with a valley between him and the town.

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 So Joshua sent them out: and they took up a secret position between Beth-el and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua kept with the people that night.

10 And early in the morning Joshua got up, and put the people in order, and he and the chiefs of Israel went up before the people to Ai.

11 And all the fighting-men who were with him went up and came near the town, and took up a position on the north side of Ai facing the town, with a valley between him and the town.

12 And taking about five thousand men, he put them in position for a surprise attack on the west side of Ai, between Beth-el and Ai.

13 So all the people were in their places, the army on the north side of the town and the secret force on the west; and that night Joshua went down into the valley.