Joshua 8:14 - When the king of Ai saw it, they hurried and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at the time appointed, before the Arabah; but he didn’t know that there was an ambush against him behind the city.
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What does "Joshua 8:14" mean?
This verse from Joshua 8:14 describes the setup for the battle of Ai, a crucial event in the Israelite conquest of Canaan. Here's a breakdown of what it means:
"When the king of Ai saw it...": The king of Ai noticed something, likely Joshua's army positioning themselves in front of the city, as instructed by God.
"...they hurried and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people...": Seeing what he thought was the entire Israelite army, the king of Ai, confident after their previous victory (Joshua 7), acted quickly. He mobilized all his fighting men and rushed out to engage Israel in battle.
"...at the time appointed, before the Arabah...": This specifies the location and timing of the attack. "At the time appointed" likely refers to a pre-determined time of day for battle. "Before the Arabah" indicates the specific area where the two armies were meeting, likely near a plain or valley called the Arabah.
"...but he didn’t know that there was an ambush against him behind the city.": This is the critical element. Unbeknownst to the king of Ai, Joshua had secretly deployed a large contingent of his army to hide behind the city, ready to launch a surprise attack. The king thought he was facing the whole Israelite force, but he was walking into a trap.
In essence, this verse sets the stage for Joshua's clever military strategy. The king of Ai, overconfident and unaware of the ambush, plays right into Joshua's hands. This verse highlights the importance of deception and strategic planning in warfare, as well as divine assistance in the Israelite conquest narrative.
Joshua 8:14 - When the king of Ai saw it, they hurried and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at the time appointed, before the Arabah; but he didn’t know that there was an ambush against him behind the city.
What does "Joshua 8:14" mean?
This verse from Joshua 8:14 describes the setup for the battle of Ai, a crucial event in the Israelite conquest of Canaan. Here's a breakdown of what it means:
"When the king of Ai saw it...": The king of Ai noticed something, likely Joshua's army positioning themselves in front of the city, as instructed by God.
"...they hurried and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people...": Seeing what he thought was the entire Israelite army, the king of Ai, confident after their previous victory (Joshua 7), acted quickly. He mobilized all his fighting men and rushed out to engage Israel in battle.
"...at the time appointed, before the Arabah...": This specifies the location and timing of the attack. "At the time appointed" likely refers to a pre-determined time of day for battle. "Before the Arabah" indicates the specific area where the two armies were meeting, likely near a plain or valley called the Arabah.
"...but he didn’t know that there was an ambush against him behind the city.": This is the critical element. Unbeknownst to the king of Ai, Joshua had secretly deployed a large contingent of his army to hide behind the city, ready to launch a surprise attack. The king thought he was facing the whole Israelite force, but he was walking into a trap.
In essence, this verse sets the stage for Joshua's clever military strategy. The king of Ai, overconfident and unaware of the ambush, plays right into Joshua's hands. This verse highlights the importance of deception and strategic planning in warfare, as well as divine assistance in the Israelite conquest narrative.