Joshua 8:5-15

5 ego autem et reliqua multitudo quae mecum est accedemus ex adverso contra urbem cumque exierint contra nos sicut ante fecimus fugiemus et terga vertemus

6 donec persequentes ab urbe longius protrahantur putabunt enim fugere nos sicut prius

7 nobis ergo fugientibus et illis sequentibus consurgetis de insidiis et vastabitis civitatem tradetque eam Dominus Deus vester in manus vestras

8 cumque ceperitis succendite eam sic omnia facietis ut iussi

9 dimisitque eos et perrexerunt ad insidiarum locum sederuntque inter Bethel et Ahi ad occidentalem plagam urbis Ahi Iosue autem nocte illa in medio mansit populi

10 surgensque diluculo recensuit socios et ascendit cum senioribus in fronte exercitus vallatus auxilio pugnatorum

11 cumque venissent et ascendissent ex adverso civitatis steterunt ad septentrionalem urbis plagam inter quam et eos vallis media erat

12 quinque milia autem viros elegerat et posuerat in insidiis inter Bethaven et Ahi ex occidentali parte eiusdem civitatis

13 omnis vero reliquus exercitus ad aquilonem aciem dirigebat ita ut novissimi multitudinis occidentalem plagam urbis adtingerent abiit ergo Iosue nocte illa et stetit in vallis medio

14 quod cum vidisset rex Ahi festinavit mane et egressus est cum omni exercitu civitatis direxitque aciem contra desertum ignorans quod post tergum laterent insidiae

15 Iosue vero et omnis Israhel cesserunt loco simulantes metum et fugientes per viam solitudinis

Joshua 8:5-15 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.