Joshua 8:15

15 And Joshua and all Israel let themselves be beaten before them; and they fled by the way of the wilderness.

Joshua 8:15 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 8:15

And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before
them
Or smitten, as some of them might be in the pursuit:

and fled by the way of the wilderness;
not a barren desert, but, according to Kimchi and Ben Melech, a place for the pasture of cattle; though perhaps it is the same with the wilderness of Bethaven, ( Joshua 18:12 ) . Epiphanius ^F23 makes mention of the wilderness of Bethel and Ephraim as near Jericho.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 Contr. Haeres. l. 1. tom. 2.

Joshua 8:15 In-Context

13 And when they had set the people, the whole camp on the north of the city, and their ambush on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.

14 And it came to pass when the king of Ai saw it, that the men of the city hasted and rose early, and went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at the appointed place before the plain. But he knew not that there was an ambush against him behind the city.

15 And Joshua and all Israel let themselves be beaten before them; and they fled by the way of the wilderness.

16 And all the people that were in the city were called together to pursue after them; and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city.

17 And not a man remained in Ai and Bethel that went not out after Israel; and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.