Joshua 8

Joshua · Chapter 8

Joshua 8:24

1And 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:2And 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.3So 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.4And 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:5And 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,6(For they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: therefore we will flee before them.7Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.8And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, that ye shall set the city on fire: according to the commandment of the LORD shall ye do. See, I have commanded you.9Joshua therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in ambush, and abode between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged that night among the people.10And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.11And all the people, even the people of war that were with him, went up, and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai: now there was a valley between them and Ai.12And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.13And 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.14And 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.15And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.16And 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.17And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.18And 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.19And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the city, and took it, and hasted and set the city on fire.20And 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.21And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again, and slew the men of Ai.22And the other issued out of the city against them; so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side: and they smote them, so that they let none of them remain or escape.23And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.24And 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.25And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai.26For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.27Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto themselves, according unto the word of the LORD which he commanded Joshua.28And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a desolation unto this day.29And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day.30Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal,31As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings.32And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.33And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel.34And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law.35There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
24And 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.When Israel had finished killing all the men of Ai who had pursued them into the field and wilderness, and when every last one of them had fallen by the sword, all the Israelites returned to Ai and put it to the sword as well.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 pursued them, and they were all fallen by the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all Israel returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Where

Locations from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Some ancient sites are uncertain.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and it wasוַיְהִ֣יvay-HIH1961
to be

הָיָה (ha.yah) 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) …

when had finishedכְּכַלּ֣וֹתke-kha-LOTH3615G
to end: finish

כָּלָה (ka.lah) : finish 1) to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be complete, be at an end 1a2) to be completed, be finished 1a3) to be accomplished, be fulfilled 1a4) to be determined, be plotted (bad sense) 1a5) to be spent, be used up 1a6) to waste away, be exhausted, fail 1a7) to come to an end, vanish, perish, be destroyed 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to complete, bring to an end, finish 1b2) to complete (a period of time) 1b3) to finish (doing a thing) 1b4) to make an end, end …

Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֡לYIS-ra-'ELH3478
Jacob

יַעֲקֹב (ya.a.qov) A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.26; son of: Isaac (H3327) and Rebekah (H7259); brother of: Esau (H6215); married to Rachel (H7354), Leah (H3812), Zilpah (H2153) and Bilhah (H1090A); father of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); also called Jacob frequently Another name of yis.ra.el (יִשְׂרָאֵל "Israel" H3478) § Jacob = "heel holder" or "supplanter" …

to killלַהֲרֹג֩la-ha-ROGH2026
to kill

הָרַג (ha.rag) 1) to kill, slay, murder, destroy, murderer, slayer, out of hand 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to kill, slay 1a2) to destroy, ruin 1b) (Niphal) to be killed 1c) (Pual) to be killed, be slain

allכָּל־kol-H3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

[the] inhabitants ofיֹשְׁבֵ֨יyo-she-VEIH3427
to dwell

יָשַׁב (ya.shav) 1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to sit, sit down 1a2) to be set 1a3) to remain, stay 1a4) to dwell, have one's abode 1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited 1c) (Piel) to set, place 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cause to sit 1d2) to cause to abide, set 1d3) to cause to dwell 1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited 1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to) 1e) (Hophal) 1e1) to be inhabited 1e2) to make to dwell Aramaic equivalent: ye.tiv (יְתִב "to dwell" H3488)

the Aiהָעַ֜יha-'AIH5857G
Ai

עַי (ay) § Ai or Aija or Aiath or Hai = "heap of ruins" a city lying east of Bethel and beside Bethaven near Jericho and the second city taken on the invasion of Canaan

in the open countryבַּשָּׂדֶ֗הba-sa-DEHH7704GNo entry
in the wildernessבַּמִּדְבָּר֙ba-mid-BARH4057B
wilderness

מִדְבָּר (mid.bar) 1) wilderness 1a) pasture 1b) uninhabited land, wilderness 1c) large tracts of wilderness (around cities) 1d) wilderness (fig.)

whichאֲשֶׁ֣ר'a-SHERH0834A
which

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when

they had pursued themרְדָפ֣וּםre-da-FUMH7291
to pursue

רָדַף (ra.daph) 1) to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to pursue, put to flight, chase, dog, attend closely upon 1a2) to persecute, harass (fig) 1a3) to follow after, aim to secure (fig) 1a4) to run after (a bribe) (fig) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be pursued 1b2) one pursued (participle) 1c) (Piel) to pursue ardently, aim eagerly to secure, pursue 1d) (Pual) to be pursued, be chased away 1e) (Hiphil) to pursue, chase

and they had fallenוַֽיִּפְּל֥וּvai-yi-pe-LUH5307J
to fall: fall

נָפַל (na.phal) : fall/drop/fail 1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to fall 1a2) to fall (of violent death) 1a3) to fall prostrate, prostrate oneself before 1a4) to fall upon, attack, desert, fall away to, go away to, fall into the hand of 1a5) to fall short, fail, fall out, turn out, result 1a6) to settle, waste away, be offered, be inferior to 1a7) to lie, lie prostrate 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to cause to fall, fell, throw down, knock out, lay prostrate 1b2) to overthrow 1b3) to make the lot fall, assign by lot, apportion by lot 1b4) to let drop, cause to fail (fig.) 1b5) to cause to fall …

all of themכֻלָּ֛םkhu-LAMH3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

to [the] mouth ofלְפִי־le-fi-H6310H
lip

פֶּה (peh) : lip/mouth peh 1) mouth 1a) mouth (of man) 1b) mouth (as organ of speech) 1c) mouth (of animals) 1d) mouth, opening, orifice (of a well, river, etc) 1e) extremity, end pim 2) a weight equal to one third of a shekel, occurs only in 1Sa 13:21

[the] swordחֶ֖רֶבCHE-revH2719
sword

חֶ֫רֶב (che.rev) 1) sword, knife 1a) sword 1b) knife 1c) tools for cutting stone

untilעַד־'ad-H5704
till

עַד (ad) prep 1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as 1a) of space 1a1) as far as, up to, even to 1b) in combination 1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from) 1c) of time 1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end 1d) of degree 1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like conj 2) until, while, to the point that, so that even Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705)

were finished theyתֻּמָּ֑םtu-MAMH8552
to finish

תָּמַם (ta.mam) 1) to be complete, be finished, be at an end 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be finished, be completed 1a1a) completely, wholly, entirely (as auxiliary with verb) 1a2) to be finished, come to an end, cease 1a3) to be complete (of number) 1a4) to be consumed, be exhausted, be spent 1a5) to be finished, be consumed, be destroyed 1a6) to be complete, be sound, be unimpaired, be upright (ethically) 1a7) to complete, finish 1a8) to be completely crossed over 1b) (Niphal) to be consumed 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to finish, complete, perfect 1c2) to finish, cease doing, leave off doing 1c3) to complete, sum up, make whole …

and they returnedוַיָּשֻׁ֤בוּvai-ya-SHU-vuH7725G
to return: return

שׁוּב (shuv) : return 1) to return, turn back 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to turn back, return 1a1a) to turn back 1a1b) to return, come or go back 1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back 1a1d) of dying 1a1e) of human relations (fig) 1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig) 1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise 1a1f2) to turn away (of God) 1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent 1a1f4) turn back (from evil) 1a1g) of inanimate things 1a1h) in repetition 1b) (Polel) 1b1) to bring back 1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig) 1b3) to lead away (enticingly) 1b4) to show turning, apostatise 1c) (Pual) restored (participle) …

allכָל־khol-H3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Israelיִשְׂרָאֵל֙YIS-ra-'ELH3478
Jacob

יַעֲקֹב (ya.a.qov) A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.26; son of: Isaac (H3327) and Rebekah (H7259); brother of: Esau (H6215); married to Rachel (H7354), Leah (H3812), Zilpah (H2153) and Bilhah (H1090A); father of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); also called Jacob frequently Another name of yis.ra.el (יִשְׂרָאֵל "Israel" H3478) § Jacob = "heel holder" or "supplanter" …

the Aiהָעַ֔יha-'AIH5857G
Ai

עַי (ay) § Ai or Aija or Aiath or Hai = "heap of ruins" a city lying east of Bethel and beside Bethaven near Jericho and the second city taken on the invasion of Canaan

and they attackedוַיַּכּ֥וּvai-ya-KUH5221
to smite

נָכָה (na.khah) 1) to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill 1a)(Niphal) to be stricken or smitten 1b) (Pual) to be stricken or smitten 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to smite, strike, beat, scourge, clap, applaud, give a thrust 1c2) to smite, kill, slay (man or beast) 1c3) to smite, attack, attack and destroy, conquer, subjugate, ravage 1c4) to smite, chastise, send judgment upon, punish, destroy 1d) (Hophal) to be smitten 1d1) to receive a blow 1d2) to be wounded 1d3) to be beaten 1d4) to be (fatally) smitten, be killed, be slain 1d5) to be attacked and captured 1d6) to be smitten (with disease) …

to [the] mouth ofלְפִי־le-fi-H6310H
lip

פֶּה (peh) : lip/mouth peh 1) mouth 1a) mouth (of man) 1b) mouth (as organ of speech) 1c) mouth (of animals) 1d) mouth, opening, orifice (of a well, river, etc) 1e) extremity, end pim 2) a weight equal to one third of a shekel, occurs only in 1Sa 13:21

[the] swordחָֽרֶב׃CHA-revH2719
sword

חֶ֫רֶב (che.rev) 1) sword, knife 1a) sword 1b) knife 1c) tools for cutting stone

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.