Joshua 8:18

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

¹⁷ Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel, leaving the city wide open while they pursued Israel.

Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Hold out your battle lance toward Ai, for into your hand I will deliver the city.” So Joshua held out his battle lance toward Ai,

¹⁹ and as soon as he did so, the men in ambush rose quickly from their position. They rushed forward, entered the city, captured it, and immediately set it on fire.

²⁰ When the men of Ai turned and looked back, the smoke of the city was rising into the sky. They could not escape in any direction, and the troops who had fled to the wilderness now became the pursuers.

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: Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Hold out your battle lance toward Ai, for into your hand I will deliver the city.” So Joshua held out his battle lance toward Ai,
KJV: And the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city.
WEB: The LORD said to Joshua, “Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand.” Joshua stretched out the javelin that was in his hand toward the city.
ASV: And Jehovah said unto Joshua, Stretch out the javelin that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thy hand. And Joshua stretched out the javelin that was in his hand toward the city.
DARBY: And Jehovah said to Joshua, Stretch out the javelin that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thy hand. And Joshua stretched out the javelin that he had in his hand toward the city.
BLB: And YHWH said to Joshua, “Stretch out the battle lance that [is] in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand.” And Joshua stretched out the battle lance that [was] in his hand toward the city.

ÅB: Da sa Herren til Josva: Rekk spydet som du har i din hånd, ut mot Ai! For jeg vil gi byen i din hånd! Så rakte Josva spydet som han hadde i sin hånd, ut imot byen.
OTB: Da sa Herren til Josva: "Rekk ut spydet som er i din hånd mot Ai, for jeg vil gi byen i din hånd." Så rakte Josva ut spydet som var i hans hånd mot byen.
B1930: Da sa Herren til Josva: Rekk spydet som du har i din hånd, ut mot Ai! For jeg vil gi byen i din hånd! Så rakte Josva spydet som han hadde i sin hånd, ut imot byen.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Joshua 8:26
Joshua did not draw back the hand that held his battle lance until he had devoted to destruction all who lived in Ai.
Read in context
Job 15:25
For he has stretched out his hand against God and has vaunted himself against the Almighty,
Read in context
1 Samuel 17:6
and he had armor of bronze on his legs and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders.
Read in context
Joshua 8:7
you are to rise from the ambush and seize the city, for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.
Read in context
Exodus 17:9–12
So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on the hilltop with the staff of God in my hand.”
Read in context
1 Samuel 17:41
Now the Philistine came closer and closer to David, with his shield-bearer before him.
Read in context
Exodus 14:16
And as for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.
Read in context
1 Samuel 17:45
But David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
Read in context