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Joshua 8:14

AiArabah

12 And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Beth-el and Ai, on the west side of the city.

13 And when they had set the people, even all the host that was on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.

And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain; but he wist not that there were liers in ambush against him behind the city.

15 And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.

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.

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Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
When the king of Ai saw the Israelites, he hurried out early in the morning with the men of the city to engage them in battle at an appointed place overlooking the Arabah. But he did not know that an ambush had been set up against him behind the city.
KJV
And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain; but he wist not that there were liers in ambush against him behind the city.
WEB
When the king of Ai saw it, they hurried and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at the time appointed, before the Arabah; but he didn’t know that there was an ambush against him behind the city.
ASV
And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at the time appointed, before the Arabah; but he knew not that there was an ambush against him behind the city.
DARBY
And it came to pass when the king of Ai saw it, that the men of the city hasted and rose early, and went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at the appointed place before the plain. But he knew not that there was an ambush against him behind the city.
BLB
And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw [it], that they hurried and rose early and went out—the men of the city—against Israel into battle, he and all his people, at an appointed place before the face of the plain. And he did not know that an ambush [was] against him behind the city.
ÅB
Da kongen i Ai så dette, skyndte byens menn seg, han selv og hele hans folk, og dro tidlig om morgenen ut til strid mot Israel, til det fastsatte sted foran ødemarken; men han visste ikke at det lå et bakhold mot ham vestenfor byen.
OTB
Da kongen av Ai så dette, skyndte han og alle hans menn fra byen seg tidlig ut for å møte Israel i kamp på det bestemte stedet foran ørkensletten, men han visste ikke at det var et bakhold mot ham bak byen.
B1930
Da kongen i Ai så dette, skyndte byens menn sig, han selv og hele hans folk, og drog tidlig om morgenen ut til strid mot Israel, til det fastsatte sted foran ødemarken; men han visste ikke at det lå et bakhold mot ham vestenfor byen.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Matthew 24:39

    And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

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  • Isaiah 19:13

    The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof.

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  • Joshua 8:16

    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.

    Read in context

  • Isaiah 19:11

    Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?

    Read in context

  • 2 Peter 2:3

    And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

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  • Ecclesiastes 9:12

    For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

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  • Joshua 8:5

    And I, and all the people that are with me, will approach unto the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them,

    Read in context

  • Daniel 4:31

    While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.

    Read in context