Joshua 8:13
New International Version
So the soldiers took up their positions—with the main camp to the north of the city and the ambush to the west of it. That night Joshua went into the valley.

New Living Translation
So they stationed the main army north of the town and the ambush west of the town. Joshua himself spent that night in the valley.

English Standard Version
So they stationed the forces, the main encampment that was north of the city and its rear guard west of the city. But Joshua spent that night in the valley.

Berean Standard Bible
So the forces were stationed with the main camp to the north of the city and the rear guard to the west of the city. And that night Joshua went into the valley.

King James Bible
And when they had set the people, even all the host that was on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.

New King James Version
And when they had set the people, all the army that was on the north of the city, and its rear guard on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.

New American Standard Bible
So they stationed the people, all the army that was on the north side of the city, and its rear guard on the west side of the city, and Joshua spent that night in the midst of the valley.

NASB 1995
So they stationed the people, all the army that was on the north side of the city, and its rear guard on the west side of the city, and Joshua spent that night in the midst of the valley.

NASB 1977
So they stationed the people, all the army that was on the north side of the city, and its rear guard on the west side of the city, and Joshua spent that night in the midst of the valley.

Legacy Standard Bible
So they set the people, all the army that was on the north side of the city, and its rear guard on the west side of the city, and Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.

Amplified Bible
So they stationed the people, all the army—the main encampment that was north of the city, and their rear guard on the west side of the city—and Joshua spent that night in the valley.

Christian Standard Bible
The troops were stationed in this way: the main camp to the north of the city and its rear guard to the west of the city. And that night Joshua went into the valley.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The military force was stationed in this way: the main camp to the north of the city and its rear guard to the west of the city. And that night Joshua went into the valley.

American Standard Version
So they set the people, even all the host that was on the north of the city, and their liers-in-wait that were on the west of the city; and Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he had situated his people and all his host from the north of the city and the Rear Guards from the west of the city and Yeshua went on that night among the people

Contemporary English Version
Now all his troops were in place. Part of the army was in the camp to the north of Ai, and the others were hiding to the west, ready to make a surprise attack. That night, Joshua went into the valley.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But all the rest of the army went in battle array on the north side, so that the last of that multitude reached to the west side of the city. So Josue went that night, and stood in the midst of the valley.

English Revised Version
So they set the people, even all the host that was on the north of the city, and their liers in wait that were on the west of the city; and Joshua went that night into the midst of the vale.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
All the troops were positioned. The main camp was north of the city, and the other troops were hiding west of the city. That night Joshua went down into the middle of the valley.

Good News Translation
The soldiers were arranged for battle with the main camp north of the city and the rest of the men to the west. Joshua spent the night in the valley.

International Standard Version
stationing their forces with its main encampment north of the city and its rear guard to the west. Joshua spent that night in the valley.

JPS Tanakh 1917
So the people set themselves in array, even all the host that was on the north of the city, their rear lying in wait on the west of the city; and Joshua went that night into the midst of the vale.

Literal Standard Version
and they set the people, all the camp which [is] on the north of the city, and its rear on the west of the city, and that night Joshua goes on into the midst of the valley.

Majority Standard Bible
So the forces were stationed with the main camp to the north of the city and the rear guard to the west of the city. And that night Joshua went into the valley.

New American Bible
Thus the people took up their stations, with the main body north of the city and the ambush west of it, and Joshua waited overnight in the valley.

NET Bible
The army was in position--the main army north of the city and the rear guard west of the city. That night Joshua went into the middle of the valley.

New Revised Standard Version
So they stationed the forces, the main encampment that was north of the city and its rear guard west of the city. But Joshua spent that night in the valley.

New Heart English Bible
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 midst of the valley.

Webster's Bible Translation
And when they had set the people, even all the host that was on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.

World English Bible
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.

Young's Literal Translation
and they set the people, all the camp which is on the north of the city, and its rear on the west of the city, and Joshua goeth on that night into the midst of the valley.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Conquest of Ai
12Now Joshua had taken about five thousand men and set up an ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the city. 13So the forces were stationed with the main camp to the north of the city and the rear guard to the west of the city. And that night Joshua went into the valley. 14When the king of Ai saw the Israelites, he hurried out early in the morning with the men of the city to engage them in battle at an appointed place overlooking the Arabah. But he did not know that an ambush had been set up against him behind the city.…

Cross References
Joshua 8:12
Now Joshua had taken about five thousand men and set up an ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the city.

Joshua 8:14
When the king of Ai saw the Israelites, he hurried out early in the morning with the men of the city to engage them in battle at an appointed place overlooking the Arabah. But he did not know that an ambush had been set up against him behind the city.


Treasury of Scripture

And when they had set the people, even all the host that was on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the middle of the valley.

liers in wait.

Joshua 8:8,12
And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, that ye shall set the city on fire: according to the commandment of the LORD shall ye do. See, I have commanded you…

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Ambush Army Array City Encampment Host Joshua Liers Main Midst Night North Places Rear Secret Side Soldiers Spent Stationed Themselves Vale Valley Wait West Whole
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Ambush Army Array City Encampment Host Joshua Liers Main Midst Night North Places Rear Secret Side Soldiers Spent Stationed Themselves Vale Valley Wait West Whole
Joshua 8
1. God encourages Joshua
3. The plan whereby Ai was taken
29. The king thereof is hanged
30. Joshua builds an altar
32. writes the law on stones
33. and pronounces the blessings and curses














(13) Joshua went that night into the. . . . valley (Emek).--Not the ravine (or Gai) before mentioned (Joshua 8:11), but a wider and more open part of the valley, probably a little further to the south;� the object being to draw the men of Ai into a pursuit in the direction of the road to Gilgal.

Verse 13. - And when they had set. This may mean the leaders of the detachment of 30,000. Joshua does not appear to have been with them, for he is not mentioned till the latter part of the verse (see note on ver. 3). Joshua went that night. Having made all his dispositions, he descended in the evening from his vantage ground on the hill into the plain, so as to invite attack in the morning, a stratagem which (see next verse) was completely successful. Some MSS., however, have וַיָּלֶן "and he rested," for וַיֵּלֶך "and he went" here. The valley. The word here is עֶמֶק not גָי as in ver. 11. Therefore the narrow waterless ravine in which the troops in ambush were to lie hid is not meant here, but a wider valley. A consideration of this fact might do something to settle the much disputed question of the situation of Ai. The עֶמֶק though deep, as the name implies, was a valley large enough for cultivation or luxuriant vegetation (Job 39:10; Psalm 65:14; Song of Solomon 2:1). Even a battle might be fought there (Job 39:21). Such a valley as that of Chamonix or Lauterbrunnen would answer to the description, and so would the passes of Glencoe and Killiecrankie.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So the forces
הָעָ֜ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

were stationed
וַיָּשִׂ֨ימוּ (way·yā·śî·mū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

with the main
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

camp
הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֗ה (ham·ma·ḥă·neh)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 4264: An encampment, an army

to the north
מִצְּפ֣וֹן (miṣ·ṣə·p̄ō·wn)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 6828: Hidden, dark, the north as a, quarter

of the city
לָעִ֔יר (lā·‘îr)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

and the rear guard
עֲקֵב֖וֹ (‘ă·qê·ḇōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6119: Heel, footprint, hind part

to the west
מִיָּ֣ם (mî·yām)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3220: A sea, the Mediterranean Sea, large river, an artifical basin

of the city.
לָעִ֑יר (lā·‘îr)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

And that
הַה֖וּא (ha·hū)
Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

night
בַּלַּ֥יְלָה (bal·lay·lāh)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3915: A twist, night, adversity

Joshua
יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ (yə·hō·wō·šu·a‘)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3091: Joshua -- 'the LORD is salvation', Moses' successor, also the name of a number of Israelites

went
וַיֵּ֧לֶךְ (way·yê·leḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

into
בְּת֥וֹךְ (bə·ṯō·wḵ)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8432: A bisection, the centre

the valley.
הָעֵֽמֶק׃ (hā·‘ê·meq)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6010: A vale


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OT History: Joshua 8:13 So they set the people even all (Josh. Jos)
Joshua 8:12
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