Joshua 8 · Verse 4

Joshua 8:4

And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:
Joshua 8:4, King James Version

Joshua 8:4 in other translations

BSBwith these orders: “Pay attention. You are to lie in ambush behind the city, not too far from it. All of you must be ready.
WEBHe commanded them, saying, “Behold, you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind the city. Don’t go very far from the city, but all of you be ready.
ASVAnd he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in ambush against the city, behind the city; go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:
YLTand commandeth them, saying, ‘See, ye are liers in wait against the city, at the rear of the city, ye go not very far off from the city, and all of you have been prepared,
DARBYAnd he commanded them, saying, See, ye shall be in ambush against the city, behind the city: go not very far from the city, and be all of you ready.
BBEAnd he gave them their orders, saying, Go and take up your position secretly at the back of the town: do not go very far away, and let all of you be ready:
WebsterAnd he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:

What does Joshua 8:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. behind the city--is rendered (Jos 8:9), "on the west side of Ai."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · 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 8:4 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.

וַיְצַ֨וvay.Tzavand he commandedH6680
אֹתָ֜ם'o.Tam<obj.> themH853
לֵאמֹ֗רle.Mor<to> sayingH559
רְ֠אוּRe.'useeH7200
אַתֶּ֞ם'a.TemyouH859
אֹרְבִ֤ים'o.re.Vim[are] lying in waitH693
לָעִיר֙la.'Irfor the cityH5892
מֵאַחֲרֵ֣יme.'a.cha.Rei<from> behindH310
הָעִ֔ירha.'Irthe cityH5892
אַל\־'al-may notH408
תַּרְחִ֥יקוּtar.Chi.kuyou go far awayH7368
מִן\־min-fromH4480
הָעִ֖ירha.'Irthe cityH5892
מְאֹ֑דme.'OdveryH3966
וִהְיִיתֶ֥םvih.yi.Temand you will beH1961
כֻּלְּכֶ֖םku.le.Khemall of youH3605
נְכֹנִֽים\׃ne.kho.NimpreparedH3559

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

Cross references for Joshua 8:4

  • Judges 20:29

    And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah.

  • Ecclesiastes 9:16

    Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

  • Acts 23:21

    But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.

  • 1 Samuel 15:2

    Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.

  • Judges 9:25

    And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech.

  • 1 Samuel 15:5

    And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.

  • Joshua 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.

  • Judges 20:36

    So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah.

  • Ecclesiastes 7:19

    Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

  • Judges 20:33

    And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baal–tamar: and the liers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
lie in wait.
16; Jud 9:25; 20:29,33,36; 1Sa 15:2,5; Ac 23:21
go not.
Ec 7:19; 9:16

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

Context

  • Joshua 8:3

    So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by night.

  • Joshua 8:4

    And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:

  • Joshua 8:5

    And I, and all the people that are with me, will approach unto the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them,

Read all of Joshua 8

Joshua 8:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y mandóles, diciendo: Mirad, pondréis emboscada á la ciudad detrás de ella: no os alejaréis mucho de la ciudad, y estaréis todos apercibidos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il leur commanda, disant: Voyez, vous serez en embuscade contre la ville, derrière la ville; ne vous éloignez pas beaucoup de la ville, mais soyez tous prêts.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und er gebot ihnen und sprach: Sehet, ihr sollt den Hinterhalt bilden gegen die Stadt, im Rücken der Stadt; entfernet euch nicht allzuweit von der Stadt, sondern seid alle bereit.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		præcepitque eis, dicens: Ponite insidias post civitatem, nec longius recedatis: et eritis omnes parati.