⚔️WEB · Joshua 8:15
What does Joshua 8:15 mean?
"Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness."
— Joshua 8:15 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
He took about five thousand men, and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.
So they set the people, even all the army who was on the north of the city, and their ambush on the west of the city; and Joshua went that night into the middle of the valley.
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.
Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.
All the people who were in the city were called together to pursue after them. They pursued Joshua, and were drawn away from the city.
There was not a man left in Ai or Beth El who didn’t go out after Israel. They left the city open, and pursued Israel.
Yahweh said to Joshua, “Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand.” Joshua stretched out the javelin that was in his hand toward the city.
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