Bible Strands
Joshua 8:15
Joshua and all Israel let themselves be beaten back before them, and they fled toward the wilderness.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Joshua and the Israelite army execute a controlled withdrawal toward the wilderness at the precise moment the king of Ai commits his forces to an open-field pursuit.
The words — The Hebrew verb וַ/יִּנָּֽגְע֛וּ (va/i.yi.na.ge.'U) literally means "they were struck" or "they let themselves be beaten back," describing the deliberate retreat. The verb וַ/יָּנֻ֖סוּ (va/i.ya.Nu.su) translates to "they fled," marking the direction of movement away from the city gates.
The thread — The directional phrase "toward the wilderness" aligns with the geographical boundaries and routes outlined in Joshua 15:61, Joshua 16:1, and Joshua 18:12.
Why it lands — The passage requires the reader to observe that a tactical withdrawal can be a precise instrument for luring an opponent into a confined space.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.
Cross-references
- Joshua 18:12 On the north side their border began at the Jordan, went up past the northern slope of Jericho, headed west through the hill country, and came out at the wilderness of Beth-aven.
- Joshua 15:61 These were in the wilderness: Beth-arabah, Middin, Secacah,
- Joshua 16:1 The allotment for the descendants of Joseph extended from the Jordan at Jericho to the waters of Jericho on the east, through the wilderness that goes up from Jericho into the hill country of Bethel.
- Judges 20:36 Then the Benjamites realized they had been defeated. Now the men of Israel had retreated before Benjamin because they were relying on the ambush they had set against Gibeah.