Joshua 8:22

Meanwhile, those in the ambush came out of the city against them, and the men of Ai were trapped between the Israelite forces on both sides. So Israel struck them down until no survivor or fugitive remained.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The narrator describes the tactical moment when the ambush force exits Ai to intercept the retreating army, completing the pincer movement against the men of Ai.

The words — יָצְאוּ (ya.tze.'u) translates as "they came out," and בַּתָּוֶךְ (ba.t.tavekh) means "in the middle," describing how the fleeing soldiers were positioned between the two Israelite divisions.

The thread — This encirclement and total elimination mirrors the commanded destruction in Deuteronomy 7:2 and repeats the pattern seen in Joshua 6:21 and Joshua 10:28.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that the military trap succeeded exactly as ordered, leaving no survivors or escapees from the city.

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

וְאֵ֨לֶּהve./'E.lehand/ these [men]יָצְא֤וּya.tze.'Uthey came out מִן־min-from הָעִיר֙ha./'Irthe/ city לִקְרָאתָ֔םli/k.ra.Ta/mto/ meet/ them וַיִּֽהְי֤וּva/i.yih.Yuand/ they were לְיִשְׂרָאֵל֙le./Yis.ra.'Elto/ Israel בַּתָּ֔וֶךְba./Ta.vekhin the/ middle אֵ֥לֶּה'E.lehthese מִזֶּ֖הmi./Zehfrom/ this וְאֵ֣לֶּהve./'E.lehand/ these מִזֶּ֑הmi./Zehfrom/ this וַיַּכּ֣וּva/i.ya.Kuand/ they struck down אוֹתָ֔ם'o.Ta/m<obj.>/ them עַד־'ad-until בִּלְתִּ֥יbil.Tinot הִשְׁאִֽיר־hish.'ir-he had leftל֖וֹl/oto <the>/ himשָׂרִ֥ידsa.Rida survivor וּפָלִֽיט׃u./fa.Litand/ a fugitive

King James Version

And the other issued out of the city against them; so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side: and they smote them, so that they let none of them remain or escape.

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 7:2 and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you to defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy.
Joshua 6:21 With the edge of the sword they devoted to destruction everything in the city—man and woman, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys.
Joshua 10:28 On that day Joshua captured Makkedah and put it to the sword, along with its king. He devoted to destruction everyone in the city, leaving no survivors. So he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.
Joshua 11:11 The Israelites put everyone in Hazor to the sword, devoting them to destruction. Nothing that breathed remained, and Joshua burned down Hazor itself.
Job 20:5 the triumph of the wicked has been brief and the joy of the godless momentary?
Luke 17:26 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man:
1 Thessalonians 5:3 While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.