And 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:
Parallel translations
- WEB He commanded them, saying, “Behold, you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind the city. Don’t go very far from the city, but all of you be ready.
- BSB with these orders: “Pay attention. You are to lie in ambush behind the city, not too far from it. All of you must be ready.
- NKJV And he commanded them, saying: “Behold, you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind the city. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready.
- NASB He commanded them, saying, “See, you are going to ambush the city from behind it. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready.
- NLT with these orders: “Hide in ambush close behind the town and be ready for action.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Joshua instructs the men to lie in ambush close behind the city and stay ready. Their hidden readiness is key to the plan.
Overview
The detailed instructions show Joshua exercising the leadership and strategic wisdom God granted him. The ambush depends on patience, positioning, and obedience to the appointed plan. The episode reminds readers that God often works his victories through ordinary means and the faithful obedience of his people to his appointed order.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Judg 20:29And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah.
- 1 Sam 15:5And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.
- Judg 20:33And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baaltamar: and the liers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah.
- Judg 20:36So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah.
- Acts 23:21But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.
- Josh 8:16And 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.
- Judg 9:25And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech.
- Eccl 9:16Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
- Eccl 7:19Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
- 1 Sam 15:2Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Joshua — the same name as Jesus, 'the LORD saves' — leads God's people into their inheritance, a shadow of the greater Joshua who brings us into the true rest and the promised land that remains.
How Joshua 8:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.