Joshua 8 · Verse 18

Joshua 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.
Joshua 8:18, King James Version

Joshua 8:18 in other translations

BSBThen the LORD said to Joshua, “Hold out your battle lance toward Ai, for into your hand I will deliver the city.” So Joshua held out his battle lance toward Ai,
WEBThe LORD 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.
ASVAnd Jehovah said unto Joshua, Stretch out the javelin that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thy hand. And Joshua stretched out the javelin that was in his hand toward the city.
YLTAnd Jehovah saith unto Joshua, ‘Stretch out with the javelin which is in thy hand towards Ai, for into thy hand I give it;' and Joshua stretcheth out with the javelin which is in his hand toward the city,
DARBYAnd Jehovah said to Joshua, Stretch out the javelin that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thy hand. And Joshua stretched out the javelin that he had in his hand toward the city.
BBEAnd the Lord said to Joshua, Let your spear be stretched out against Ai; for I will give it into your hands. So Joshua took up his spear, stretching it out in the direction of the town.
WebsterAnd the LORD said to Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand towards Ai; for I will give it into thy hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand towards the city.

What does Joshua 8:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Joshua 8:18-25
18-25. Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city--The uplifted spear had probably a flag, or streamer on it, to render it the more conspicuous from the height where he stood. At the sight of this understood signal the ambush nearest the city, informed by their scouts, made a sudden rush and took possession of the city, telegraphing to their brethren by raising a smoke from the walls. Upon seeing this, the main body, who had been reigning a flight, turned round at the head of the pass upon their pursuers, while the twenty-five thousand issuing from their ambuscade, fell back upon their rear. The Ai-ites surprised, looked back, and found their situation now desperate.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 18 Stretch out the spear - It is very probable that Joshua had a flag or ensign at the end of his spear, which might be easily seen at a considerable distance; and that the unfurling or waving of this was the sign agreed on between him and the ambush. (see Jos 8:13, and the preceding observations on Jos 8:1 (note), observation 6); and on seeing this flag or ensign unfurled, the men who lay in ambush arose and entered the city, making the fire previously agreed on. See Jos 8:8.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Joshua 8:3-22

Observe Joshua's conduct and prudence. Those that would maintain their spiritual conflicts must not love their ease. Probably he went into the valley alone, to pray to God for a blessing, and he did not seek in vain. He never drew back till the work was done. Those that have stretched out their hands against their spiritual enemies, must never draw them back.

Read the full comment on Joshua 8:3-22 →

Joshua 8:18 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
יְהוָ֜הYah.wehYahwehH3068
אֶל\־'el-toH413
יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַye.ho.Shu.a'JoshuaH3091
נְ֠טֵהNe.tehstretch outH5186
בַּכִּיד֤וֹןba.ki.Donwith the javelinH3591
אֲשֶׁר\־'a.Sher-whichH834
בְּיָֽדְךָ֙be.ya.de.Kha[is] in hand yourH3027
אֶל\־'el-toH413
הָעַ֔יha.'Ai<the> AiH5857
כִּ֥יkiforH3588
בְיָדְךָ֖ve.ya.de.Khain hand yourH3027
אֶתְּנֶ֑נָּה'et.te.Ne.nahI will give itH5414
וַיֵּ֧טvai.Yetand he stretched outH5186
יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַye.ho.Shu.a'JoshuaH3091
בַּכִּיד֥וֹןba.ki.Donwith the javelinH3591
אֲשֶׁר\־'a.Sher-whichH834
בְּיָד֖וֹbe.ya.Do[was] in hand hisH3027
אֶל\־'el-toH413
הָעִֽיר\׃ha.'Irthe cityH5892

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Joshua 8:18

  • Joshua 8:26

    For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.

  • Job 15:25

    For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.

  • 1 Samuel 17:6

    And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders.

  • Joshua 8:7

    Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the Lord your God will deliver it into your hand.

  • Exodus 17:9-12

    And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

  • 1 Samuel 17:41

    And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him.

  • Exodus 14:16

    But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

  • 1 Samuel 17:45

    Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

  • Exodus 8:5

    And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt.

  • Job 39:23

    The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Stretch.
7,26; Ex 8:5; 17:11; Job 15:25
the spear.The word {keedon} is rendered {clypeum,} a shield or buckler, by the Vulgate but the LXX. translate it [gaison,] which Suidas says, signifies a kind of weapon, [hoion doratos,] like a spear. It may denote a short spear, javelin, or lance; for it is evident that it signifies neither the larger spear nor the shield, because it is distinguished from both.
1Sa 17:6,41,45; Job 39:23Joshua may have had a flag or ensign at the end of the spear, which might be seen at a considerable distance when extended, which was the sign agreed upon by him and the ambush.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Joshua 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.

  • Joshua 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.

  • Joshua 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.

Read all of Joshua 8

Joshua 8:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces Jehová dijo á Josué: Levanta la lanza que tienes en tu mano hacia Hai, porque yo la entregaré en tu mano. Y Josué levantó hacia la ciudad la lanza que en su mano tenía.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et l’ Éternel dit à Josué: Étends vers Aï le javelot qui est dans ta main, car je la livrerai entre tes mains. Et Josué étendit vers la ville le javelot qui était dans sa main.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da sprach Jehova zu Josua: Strecke den Spieß, der in deiner Hand ist, gegen Ai aus; denn ich will es in deine Hand geben. Und Josua streckte den Spieß, der in seiner Hand war, gegen die Stadt aus.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		dixit Dominus ad Josue: Leva clypeum, qui in manu tua est, contra urbem Hai, quoniam tibi tradam eam.