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Joshua 8:20

Ai

18 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.

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.

21 When Joshua and all Israel saw that the men in ambush had captured the city and that smoke was rising from it, they turned around and struck down the men of Ai.

22 Meanwhile, those in the ambush came out of the city against them, and the men of Ai were trapped between the Israelite forces on both sides. So Israel struck them down until no survivor or fugitive remained.

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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 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.
KJV
And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.
WEB
When the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way. The people who fled to the wilderness turned back on the pursuers.
ASV
And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.
DARBY
And the men of Ai turned and saw, and behold, the smoke of the city went up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way; and the people that fled to the wilderness turned upon the pursuers.
BLB
And the men of Ai looked behind them, and they saw, and behold, the smoke of the city ascended to the heavens. And there was not power in them to flee here or there, and the people who had fled to the wilderness turned back on the pursuers.
ÅB
Da nå Ai-mennene vendte seg om, ble de var røyken fra byen, som steg opp imot himmelen, og de var ikke i stand til å flykte hverken hit eller dit, fordi de krigsfolk som var flyktet til ørkenen, nå vendte seg mot forfølgerne.
OTB
Mennene i Ai snudde seg og så røyken fra byen stige opp til himmelen, og de hadde ingen mulighet til å flykte i noen retning; israelittene som hadde flyktet til ødemarken snudde seg mot sine forfølgere.
B1930
Da nu Ai-mennene vendte sig om, blev de var røken fra byen, som steg op imot himmelen, og de var ikke i stand til å flykte hverken hit eller dit, fordi de krigsfolk som var flyktet til ørkenen, nu vendte sig mot forfølgerne.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Job 11:20

    But the eyes of the wicked will fail, and escape will elude them; they will hope for their last breath.”

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  • Genesis 19:28

    He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and all the land of the plain, and he saw the smoke rising from the land like smoke from a furnace.

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  • Psalms 76:5

    The valiant lie plundered; they sleep their last sleep. No men of might could lift a hand.

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  • Revelation 6:15–17

    Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the commanders, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and free man hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains.

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  • Revelation 19:3

    And a second time they called out: “Hallelujah! Her smoke rises forever and ever.”

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  • Psalms 48:5–6

    They saw and were astounded; they fled in terror.

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  • Isaiah 34:10

    It will not be quenched—day or night. Its smoke will ascend forever. From generation to generation it will lie desolate; no one will ever again pass through it.

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  • Revelation 18:9

    Then the kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her will weep and wail at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her.

    Read in context