Translations
Modern
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.
Traditional
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.
Literal
And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hurried and rose early and went out—the men of the city—against Israel into battle, he and all his people, at an appointed place before the face of the plain. And he did not know that an ambush was against him behind the city.
Latin
Quod cum vidisset rex Hai, festinavit mane, et egressus est cum omni exercitu civitatis, direxitque aciem contra desertum, ignorans quod post tergum laterent insidiæ.
Original
Hebrew
English
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.
Notes
The king of Ai and all his army were eager to repeat what they thought was their success in the earlier battle. They acted without caution. As Joshua and Israel had already learned, this kind of confidence can lead to danger.
Theme notes and profiles
Events
People
Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes
Places
Ai: A Canaanite city conquered by Joshua after initial defeat Arabah: A desert region in the Jordan Valley and southward
Glossary
Ai Brook of the Arabah Conquest and Allotment of the Land Joshua, Book of Judah, Tribe of Judges, Book of Tribe of Dan Warfare
Topics
Ambush: At Ai Armies: March in Ranks: Ambushes, at Ai Armies: March in Ranks: Decoy Sieges: Ai Strategy in War