Joshua 8:5

5 Then I and all the troops with me will advance on the city. When they come out against us as they did the first time, we will flee from them.

Joshua 8:5 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 8:5

And I and all the people that [are] with me will approach unto
the city
That is, Joshua with the main body of the army would march up to the city the next morning, in order to draw out the inhabitants of it to fight them:

and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the
first;
as they had done before, when the three thousand were sent against them, ( Joshua 7:4 Joshua 7:5 ) ;

that we will flee before them;
as the three thousand did, which would animate them to pursue them with the greater eagerness, and to a distance from their city.

Joshua 8:5 In-Context

3 So Joshua and the whole army set out to attack Ai. Joshua chose 30,000 mighty men of valor and sent them out at night

4 with these orders: “Pay attention. You are to lie in ambush behind the city, not too far from it. All of you must be ready.

5 Then I and all the troops with me will advance on the city. When they come out against us as they did the first time, we will flee from them.

6 They will pursue us until we have drawn them away from the city, for they will say, ‘The Israelites are running away from us as they did before.’ So as we flee from them,

7 you are to rise from the ambush and seize the city, for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.