Joshua 8:13-24
Jos 8:13
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.
Then everything was ready since the troops were now in
position and ready to take the city.
He may have gone there to pray and ask the LORD’s blessing upon their
battle. He could also have been
like Nehemiah who went and scouted the area before the battle as Nehemiah
scouted the wall of Jerusalem to assess the damage.
Joshua, as a good commander, wanted to make sure there were no surprises
in the valley like a big ditch or a canyon that would hinder the troops.
Jos 8:14
And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it,
that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against
Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain;
but he wist not that there were liers in ambush against him behind the
city.
Then the day of battle finally came.
The king of Ai saw the placements of the troops but was totally unaware
of what was waiting behind his army.
All he could see was the main body of Joshua’s troops.
As expected, the men of Ai had exited the city as they began to pursue
the army of Israel. They had gone
out into the plain which was north of the city where they would have to fight in
the valley. The time appointed
meant that they were fulfilling the plan of God for their destruction at the
appointed time determined for them even though they believed they were setting
the time of attack when they were ready to engage Israel.
Just as the LORD appointed a day when he would judge the world.
Because he hath appointed a day,
in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by
that man whom he hath ordained;
whereof he hath given assurance
unto all men, in that he hath
raised him from the dead. (Acts 17:31)
He appointed the day and time for Joshua to fight at Ai.
Nothing done in the kingdom of God is ever random.
Jos 8:15
And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten
before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.
Then Joshua pulled the great ruse of faking that he was
being beaten and in fear of the army of Ai.
The wilderness where they fled would have been east so they could draw
the troops away from the city and this way it would allow the 35,000 ambushers
to go in and to begin the conquest of Ai.
With every foot they ran, they were building the false confidence within
the army of Ai.
Jos 8:16
And 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.
Then the people of Ai fell for the trap and began to
pursue after Joshua as they would have drawn them east so the ambush battalion
would be able to enter the city without any opposition since all the fighting
men would be pursuing Joshua.
Jos 8:17
And there was not a man left in Ai or Beth-el, that went
not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.
Both cities had emptied their fighting forces and were
now left totally defenseless. This
would make it easy for the 35,000 to enter the cities and to begin their
destruction. If the troops decided to return to the cities, they would be caught
up between the ambushers and Joshua’s main body which means they were in a
doomed position.
Jos 8:18
And the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that
is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua
stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city.
Then it was time for the destruction of the cities.
The signal was now to be given to the ambushers as the LORD told Joshua
to stretch out the spear toward Ai which he had in his hand.
Remember in 8:14 God told Joshua at the “appointed time” which was now as
all the troops were in place. The
spear may have a had a flag on it for the signal and Joshua did what the LORD
commanded. Stretching out was
something Moses also did as a visible token of the powerful word of God.
And the LORD said unto Moses,
Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land
of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout
the land of Egypt. (Exodus 9:22)
Jos 8:19
And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they
ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the city,
and took it, and hasted and set the city on fire.
Then as soon as they saw the signal, they quickly rose up
and ran toward Ai and attacked with their full force.
Then they had done to Ai what they did to Jericho and that was to turn Ai
into ashes as they began to destroy the city by fire without any military
opposition.
Jos 8:20
And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and,
behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to
flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned
back upon the pursuers.
Then the men of Ai looked behind them and saw the smoke
of the city ablaze and then they knew they were caught in a pincer movement and
had no way to escape because Joshua’s troops were in front of them and behind
them. Then when Joshua saw the
smoke of the city he turned his army around and became the pursuers.
He knew he had the men of Ai cornered and there was no way they could
escape the coming judgment of God.
Jos 8:21
And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had
taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again,
and slew the men of Ai.
Once Joshua was convinced the city of Ai was taken by his
ambushers by reason of the smoke which was rising over the burning city, they
knew the city itself had been taken and now they slew all the men of Ai who had
come out to pursue them with the focus of killing the army of Joshua.
Jos 8:22
And the other issued out of the city against them; so
they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side: and
they smote them, so that they let none of them remain or escape.
Then once the city had been razed the ambushers joined in
the battle from behind the men of Ai so no one could escape by any other way.
The men of Ai knew they were now totally trapped and could not find a
route of escape. The only thing
they could do was to fight to the last man but they were all divinely decreed to
be killed so their resistance was futile.
It is like those today who fight or oppose true Christianity once they
are at the Judgment seat of Christ, there will be no way for them to escape nor
any place for them to escape to.
And cried when they saw the smoke of her
burning, saying, What city is
like unto this great city! (Revelation 18:18)
Their only place of refuge was the earth along with its evil systems but
now on Judgment day the world is being burnt and they weep because there is no
escape or refuge.
Jos 8:23
And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to
Joshua.
Then they brought the king of Ai to Joshua as they saved
him at this time from being killed.
They probably wanted to reserve the king for a more humiliating death to show
that no earthly king can fight against the King of Heaven.
Jos 8:24
And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of
slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they
chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they
were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the
edge of the sword.