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Joshua 8:4

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does Joshua 8:4 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in ambush against the city, behind the city; go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in ambush against the city, behind the city; go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:
Joshua 8:4 — American Standard Version

Context — Joshua 8

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
1And Jehovah 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: set thee an ambush for the city behind it.
3So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up to Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand men, the mighty men of valor, and sent them forth by night.
4And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in ambush against the city, 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;
6and they will come out after us, till we have drawn them away from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: so we will flee before them;
7and ye shall rise up from the ambush, and take possession of the city: for Jehovah your God will deliver it into your hand.
← Joshua 8:3Joshua 8:5 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And he commanded them, saying, etc.] At the time he sent them away; behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, [even] behind the city; that is, on the west side of it, (<060809>Joshua 8:9); go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready; to enter into it, as soon as the forces are drawn out eastward to meet the army of Israel.”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“behind the city--is rendered (Jos 8:9), "on the west side of Ai."”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Them - The same party last spoken of, even the five thousand mentioned Jos 8:12, there are only two parties engaged in the taking of Ai, and but one ambush, as plainly appears by comparing Jos 8:9, with Jos 8:12, which speaks only of five thousand, who are justly supposed to be a part of those thirty thousand named, Jos 8:3. Joshua 8:5”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“8:4-9 Joshua told the select squad what to expect from Israel’s main army. Because this special unit would be separated from Joshua’s command for nearly forty-eight hours, they needed to understand exactly what to do. Israel’s success in this second attempt on Ai depended on the precise timing of their rush into the town.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“lie in wait: Jos 8:16; Jdg 9:25, Jdg 20:29, Jdg 20:33, Jdg 20:36; Sa1 15:2, Sa1 15:5; Act 23:21 go not: Ecc 7:19, Ecc 9:16 Joshua 8:5”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification