Joshua 8:6

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

Joshua 8:6 in Other Translations

KJV
6 (For they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: therefore we will flee before them.
ESV
6 And they will come out after us, until we have drawn them away from the city. For they will say, 'They are fleeing from us, just as before.' So we will flee before them.
NLT
6 We will let them chase us until we have drawn them away from the town. For they will say, ‘The Israelites are running away from us as they did before.’ Then, while we are running from them,
MSG
6 They'll come after us, leaving the city. As we are off and running, they'll say, 'They're running away just like the first time.'
CSB
6 They will come after us until we have drawn them away from the city, for they will say, 'They are fleeing from us as before.' While we are fleeing from them,

Joshua 8:6 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 8:6

For they will come out after us
Of which there could be no doubt, when they should see them run from them:

till we have drawn them from the city;
some distance from it, that they could not return soon enough to save it from the ambush, or prevent their entrance into it, and burning it:

for they will say, they will flee before us, as at the first;
they run away as they did before, and let us pursue them and smite them as we did then:

therefore we will flee before them;
to draw them out of the city, and make your way easy to get into it,

Joshua 8:6 In-Context

4 with these orders: “Listen carefully. You are to set an ambush behind the city. Don’t go very far from it. All of you be on the alert.
5 I and all those with me will advance on the city, and when the men come out against us, as they did before, we will flee from them.
6 They will pursue us until we have lured them away from the city, for they will say, ‘They are running away from us as they did before.’ So when we flee from them,
7 you are to rise up from ambush and take the city. The LORD your God will give it into your hand.
8 When you have taken the city, set it on fire. Do what the LORD has commanded. See to it; you have my orders.”
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