Joshua 8:16

16 All the men of Ai were called to pursue them, and they pursued Joshua and were lured away from the city.

Joshua 8:16 in Other Translations

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

16 So all the people who were in the city were called together to pursue them, and as they pursued Joshua they were drawn away from the city.

16 Then all the men in the town were called out to chase after them. In this way, they were lured away from the town.

16 Everybody in the city was called to the chase. They pursued Joshua and were led away from the city.

16 Then all the troops of Ai were summoned to pursue them, and they pursued Joshua and were drawn away from the city.

Joshua 8:16 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 8:16

And all the people that were in Ai [were] called together to
pursue after them
Because the host of Israel was very numerous, it was judged proper that all the people in Ai should assist in pursuing them, not only to kill the more in the pursuit, but to carry off the spoil and prisoners they should take; or rather the sense is, that all the people in Ai, which were come out with the king to battle, when they saw Israel flee, "cried" ^F24, or shouted, as soldiers do when victorious, "in" or "while pursuing" ^F25 after them;

and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city;
at some considerable distance from it; which was the design to be answered by feigning a flight.

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FOOTNOTES:

F24 (wqezw) "vociferantes", V. L. "vociferati sunt", Pagninus, Montanus.
F25 (Pdrl) "persequendo", Pagninus, Montanus.

Joshua 8:16 In-Context

14 When the king of Ai saw this, he and all the men of the city hurried out early in the morning to meet Israel in battle at a certain place overlooking the Arabah. But he did not know that an ambush had been set against him behind the city.

15 Joshua and all Israel let themselves be driven back before them, and they fled toward the wilderness.

16 All the men of Ai were called to pursue them, and they pursued Joshua and were lured away from the city.

17 Not a man remained in Ai or Bethel who did not go after Israel. They left the city open and went in pursuit of Israel.

18 Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Hold out toward Ai the javelin that is in your hand, for into your hand I will deliver the city.” So Joshua held out toward the city the javelin that was in his hand.

Cross References

• 1. Judges 20:31