Joshua 8:13-23

13

14 And it came to pass when the king of Gai saw , he hasted and went out to meet them direct to the battle, he and all the people with him: and he knew not that there was an ambuscade against him behind the city.

15 And Joshua and Israel saw, and retreated from before them.

16 And they pursued after the children of Israel, and they themselves went to a distance from the city.

17 There was no one left in Gai who did not pursue after Israel; and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.

18 And the Lord said to Joshua, Stretch forth thy hand with the spear that is in thy hand toward the city, for I have delivered it into thy hands; and the liers in wait shall rise up quickly out of their place.

19 And Joshua stretched out his hand his spear toward the city, and the ambuscade rose up quickly out of their place; and they came forth when he stretched out his hand; and they entered into the city, and took it; and they hasted and burnt the city with fire.

20 And when the inhabitants of Gai looked round behind them, then they saw the smoke going up out of the city to heaven, and they were no longer able to flee this way or that way.

21 And Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambuscade had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city went up to heaven; and they turned and smote the men of Gai.

22 And these came forth out of the city to meet them; and they were in the midst of the army, some on this side, and some on that; and they smote them until there was not left of them one who survived and escaped.

23 And they took the king of Gai alive, and brought him to Joshua.

Joshua 8:13-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 8

Joshua is encouraged to go up and take Ai, and is directed what method to make use of, Jos 8:1,2; accordingly he set an ambush on the west side of it, and, he and the rest of the army went up before it, Jos 8:3-13; which, when the king of Ai saw, he and all his forces came cut against them, and the Israelites making a feint as if they were beaten, drew on the men of Ai to pursue them, upon which the ambush arose and entered the city and set fire to it, Jos 8:14-19; the smoke of which being observed by Joshua and Israel, they turned back upon the pursuers, and the ambush sallying out of the city behind them, made an entire destruction of them, then slew all the inhabitants, took the spoil, burnt the city, and hanged the king of it, Jos 8:20-29; after this Joshua built an altar at Ebal, wrote the law on stones, and read the blessings and curses in it before all Israel, Jos 8:30-35.

Footnotes

• [a]. set it on fire.
• [b]. took.