Yehoshua 8:16

16 And kol HaAm that were in Ai were called together to pursue after them; and they pursued after Yehoshua, and were lured from the Ir.

Yehoshua 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.

Yehoshua 8:16 In-Context

14 And it came to pass, when the melech of Ai saw it, that they hastened and rose up early, and the anshei HaIr went out against Yisroel in the milchamah, he and all his people, at the place, before the Aravah; but he had no da’as that there was an ambush against him set up behind the Ir.

15 And Yehoshua and kol Yisroel let themselves be driven before them, and fled by the derech hamidbar.

16 And kol HaAm that were in Ai were called together to pursue after them; and they pursued after Yehoshua, and were lured from the Ir.

17 And there was not an ish left in Ai or Beit-El, that went not out after Yisroel; and they left the Ir open, and pursued after Yisroel.

18 And Hashem said unto Yehoshua, Stretch out the kidon (javelin) that is in thy yad toward Ai; for I will give it into thine yad. And Yehoshua stretched out the kidon that he had in his yad toward the Ir.