Joshua 8:4

4 He commanded them, "Look. You are to ambush the city from behind. Don't move too far away from the city. Be ready, all of you.

Joshua 8:4 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 8:4

And he commanded them, saying
At the time he sent them away;

behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, [even] behind the city;
that is, on the west side of it, ( Joshua 8:9 ) ;

go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready;
to enter into it, as soon as the forces are drawn out eastward to meet the army of Israel.

Joshua 8:4 In-Context

2 Do to Ai and its king what you did to Jericho and its king. But you may take its booty and cattle as plunder. Set your ambush behind the city."

3 So Joshua and the whole army got ready to go up to Ai. Joshua chose thirty thousand brave soldiers. He sent them out by night.

4 He commanded them, "Look. You are to ambush the city from behind. Don't move too far away from the city. Be ready, all of you.

5 I will approach the city with all the people. When they come out against us the same way as before, we will flee from them.

6 They will come out after us until we have drawn them away from the city. They will think, They are fleeing from us as before. So we will flee from them.