This verse from Joshua 8:12 describes a military tactic used by Joshua during the conquest of Ai. Let's break it down:
"He took about five thousand men...": Joshua is referring to the Israelite army under his command. He selected 5,000 soldiers for a specific task.
"...and set them in ambush...": This means these soldiers were placed in a hidden location to surprise and attack the enemy. An ambush is a surprise attack from a concealed position.
"...between Bethel and Ai...": This specifies the general area where the ambush was set. Bethel and Ai were two cities in Canaan, and the ambush was placed somewhere in the terrain between them.
"...on the west side of the city.": This pinpoints the exact location of the ambush relative to the city of Ai. The 5,000 soldiers were positioned west of Ai, likely concealed in the terrain.
In summary, this verse describes part of a military strategy: Joshua divided his forces. A group of 5,000 soldiers was secretly positioned west of Ai, between Ai and Bethel, to lie in wait and launch a surprise attack at a strategic moment. This ambush would play a crucial role in the overall battle plan to conquer Ai.
Context within Joshua 8:
To fully understand this verse, it is important to read the surrounding verses. The context reveals that the main army of Israelites would lure the soldiers of Ai out of their city with a feigned retreat. Once the city was emptied of its defenders, the 5,000 soldiers in ambush would then attack and capture the undefended city. This was a classic military maneuver of feigned retreat and ambush to gain a strategic advantage.
This verse from Joshua 8:12 describes a military tactic used by Joshua during the conquest of Ai. Let's break it down:
"He took about five thousand men...": Joshua is referring to the Israelite army under his command. He selected 5,000 soldiers for a specific task.
"...and set them in ambush...": This means these soldiers were placed in a hidden location to surprise and attack the enemy. An ambush is a surprise attack from a concealed position.
"...between Bethel and Ai...": This specifies the general area where the ambush was set. Bethel and Ai were two cities in Canaan, and the ambush was placed somewhere in the terrain between them.
"...on the west side of the city.": This pinpoints the exact location of the ambush relative to the city of Ai. The 5,000 soldiers were positioned west of Ai, likely concealed in the terrain.
In summary, this verse describes part of a military strategy: Joshua divided his forces. A group of 5,000 soldiers was secretly positioned west of Ai, between Ai and Bethel, to lie in wait and launch a surprise attack at a strategic moment. This ambush would play a crucial role in the overall battle plan to conquer Ai.
Context within Joshua 8:
To fully understand this verse, it is important to read the surrounding verses. The context reveals that the main army of Israelites would lure the soldiers of Ai out of their city with a feigned retreat. Once the city was emptied of its defenders, the 5,000 soldiers in ambush would then attack and capture the undefended city. This was a classic military maneuver of feigned retreat and ambush to gain a strategic advantage.