Joshua 8:2

1 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:

And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.

3 So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by night.

4 And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:

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
And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves. Set up an ambush behind the city.”
KJV
And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.
WEB
You shall do to Ai and her king as you did to Jericho and her king, except you shall take its goods and its livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush for the city behind it.”
ASV
And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: set thee an ambush for the city behind it.
DARBY
And thou shalt do to Ai and to its king as thou didst to Jericho and to its king; only, the spoil thereof and the cattle thereof shall ye take as prey for yourselves. Set an ambush against the city behind it.
BLB
And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and to its king; only its spoil and its cattle you⁺ shall take as plunder for yourselves. Set up to you an ambush for the city behind it.”
ÅB
Og du skal gjøre med Ai og dets konge som du gjorde med Jeriko og dets konge; bare hærfanget og feet der kan dere ta for dere selv. Legg nå et bakhold mot byen, på vestsiden!
OTB
Du skal gjøre med Ai og dets konge som du gjorde med Jeriko og dets konge, men du kan ta byttet og buskapen for dere selv. Legg et bakhold bak byen."
B1930
Og du skal gjøre med Ai og dets konge som du gjorde med Jeriko og dets konge; bare hærfanget og feet der kan I ta for eder selv. Legg nu et bakhold mot byen, på vestsiden!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Deuteronomy 20:14

    But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the LORD thy God hath given thee.

    Read in context
  • Joshua 6:21

    And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.

    Read in context
  • 2 Chronicles 20:22

    And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

    Read in context
  • Proverbs 13:22

    A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.

    Read in context
  • Joshua 8:12

    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.

    Read in context
  • Joshua 10:28

    And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof he utterly destroyed, them, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain: and he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of Jericho.

    Read in context
  • Joshua 8:24

    And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword.

    Read in context
  • Joshua 8:9

    Joshua therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in ambush, and abode between Beth-el and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged that night among the people.

    Read in context