Joshua 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.
Joshua 8:20 in other translations
| BSB | When the men of Ai turned and looked back, the smoke of the city was rising into the sky. They could not escape in any direction, and the troops who had fled to the wilderness now became the pursuers. |
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| WEB | 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. The people who fled to the wilderness turned back on the pursuers. |
| ASV | 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. |
| YLT | And the men of Ai look behind them, and see, and lo, the smoke of the city hath gone up unto the heavens, and there hath not been in them power to flee hither and thither--and the people who are fleeing to the wilderness have turned against the pursuer, -- |
| DARBY | And the men of Ai turned and saw, and behold, the smoke of the city went up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way; and the people that fled to the wilderness turned upon the pursuers. |
| BBE | Then the men of Ai, looking back, saw the smoke of the town going up to heaven, and were unable to go this way or that: and the people who had gone in flight to the waste land were turned back on those who were coming after them. |
| Webster | And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and behold, the smoke of the city ascended 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. |
What does Joshua 8:20 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…
Adam Clarke's Commentary
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.
Joshua 8:20 in the original Hebrew
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Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Joshua 8:20
- Job 11:20
But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.
- Genesis 19:28
And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.
- Psalms 76:5
The stouthearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep: and none of the men of might have found their hands.
- Revelation 6:15-17
And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
- Revelation 19:3
And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.
- Psalms 48:5-6
They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away. Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail.
- Isaiah 34:10
It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever.
- Revelation 18:9
And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
- Amos 2:14-16
Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mighty deliver himself: Neither shall he stand that handleth the bow; and he that is swift of foot shall not deliver himself: neither shall he that rideth the horse deliver himself. And he that is courageous among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, saith the Lord.
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ge 19:28; Isa 34:10; Re 18:9; 19:3
and they had.
Job 11:20; Ps 48:5,6; 76:5; Am 2:14-16; Re 6:15-17
power. Heb. hand.
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- 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.
- Joshua 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.
- Joshua 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.
Joshua 8:20 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Y como los de la ciudad miraron atrás, observaron, y he aquí el humo de la ciudad que subía al cielo, y no tuvieron arbitrio para huir ni á una parte ni á otra: y el pueblo que iba huyendo hacia el desierto, se volvió contra los que le seguían. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Et les hommes d’Aï se retournèrent, et virent: et voici, la fumée de la ville montait vers les cieux; et il n’y eut en eux aucune force pour fuir ni d’un côté ni de l’autre. Et le peuple qui fuyait vers le désert se tourna contre ceux qui le poursuivaient. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Und die Männer von Ai wandten sich um und sahen, und siehe, der Rauch der Stadt stieg gen Himmel empor; und sie hatten keine Kraft, dahin noch dorthin zu fliehen. Denn das Volk, das nach der Wüste hin geflohen war, wandte sich um gegen die Nachjagenden. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Viri autem civitatis, qui persequebantur Josue, respicientes et videntes fumum urbis ad cælum usque conscendere, non potuerunt ultra huc illucque diffugere: præsertim cum hi qui simulaverant fugam, et tendebant ad solitudinem, contra persequentes fortissime restitissent. |