The Meaning of Joshua 8:14 Explained

Joshua 8:14

KJV: And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain; but he wist not that there were liers in ambush against him behind the city.

YLT: And it cometh to pass, when the king of Ai seeth it, that hasten, and rise early, and go out do the men of the city to meet Israel for battle, he and all his people, at the appointed season, at the front of the plain, and he hath not known that an ambush is against him, on the rear of the city.

Darby: And it came to pass when the king of Ai saw it, that the men of the city hasted and rose early, and went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at the appointed place before the plain. But he knew not that there was an ambush against him behind the city.

ASV: And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at the time appointed, before the Arabah; but he knew not that there was an ambush against him behind the city.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it came to pass, when the king  of Ai  saw  [it], that they hasted  and rose up early,  and the men  of the city  went out  against  Israel  to battle,  he and all his people,  at a time appointed,  before  the plain;  but he wist  not that [there were] liers in ambush  against him behind  the city. 

What does Joshua 8:14 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 8:1-17 - Ai Again Attacked
Now that the evil was put away, the people were assured of victory. "I have given," etc. But the assurance of faith is not inconsistent with the call for action: "Arise, go up." Though he was thus secure of victory, Joshua adopted such measures as his soldier-training suggested. Notice the place which our preparations should occupy. Not to shut God out, but to make the pathway along which His help may travel.
The restrictions as to the spoil which had been in force and which had led to Achan's undoing were now removed. God often tests us before allowing us to enjoy. Certain injunctions or prohibitions may be given to prove us; but are removed when our lesson is learned, Deuteronomy 8:2.
Up the long, desolate pass Israel marched. There they could see Achan's tent, and there the scenes of their recent defeat. Their hearts were chastened. In all humility and faith they marched forward, and they were not ashamed, Joel 2:26. [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 8

1  God encourages Joshua
3  The plan whereby Ai was taken
29  The king thereof is hanged
30  Joshua builds an altar
32  writes the law on stones
33  and pronounces the blessings and curses

What do the individual words in Joshua 8:14 mean?

And it came to pass when saw [it] the king of Ai that hurried and rose early and went out the men of the city against Israel to battle he and all his people at an appointed place before the plain but he not did know that [there was] an ambush against him behind the city
וַיְהִ֞י כִּרְא֣וֹת מֶֽלֶךְ־ הָעַ֗י וַֽיְמַהֲר֡וּ וַיַּשְׁכִּ֡ימוּ וַיֵּצְא֣וּ אַנְשֵֽׁי־ הָעִ֣יר לִקְרַֽאת־ יִ֠שְׂרָאֵל לַֽמִּלְחָמָ֞ה ה֧וּא וְכָל־ עַמּ֛וֹ לַמּוֹעֵ֖ד לִפְנֵ֣י הָֽעֲרָבָ֑ה וְהוּא֙ לֹ֣א יָדַ֔ע כִּֽי־ אֹרֵ֥ב ל֖וֹ מֵאַחֲרֵ֥י הָעִֽיר

וַיְהִ֞י  And  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כִּרְא֣וֹת  when  saw  [it] 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
מֶֽלֶךְ־  the  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
הָעַ֗י  of  Ai 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: עַי 
Sense: a city lying east of Bethel and beside Bethaven near Jericho and the 2nd city taken on the invasion of Canaan.
וַֽיְמַהֲר֡וּ  that  hurried 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: מָהַר  
Sense: (Qal) to hasten.
וַיַּשְׁכִּ֡ימוּ  and  rose  early 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁכַם  
Sense: to rise or start early.
וַיֵּצְא֣וּ  and  went  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
אַנְשֵֽׁי־  the  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱנׄושׁ 
Sense: man, mortal man, person, mankind.
הָעִ֣יר  of  the  city 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
לִקְרַֽאת־  against 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to encounter, befall, meet.
יִ֠שְׂרָאֵל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
לַֽמִּלְחָמָ֞ה  to  battle 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִלְחָמָה  
Sense: battle, war.
וְכָל־  and  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
עַמּ֛וֹ  his  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
לַמּוֹעֵ֖ד  at  an  appointed  place 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹועֵד  
Sense: appointed place, appointed time, meeting.
לִפְנֵ֣י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
הָֽעֲרָבָ֑ה  the  plain 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֲרָבָה  
Sense: desert plain, steppe, desert, wilderness.
וְהוּא֙  but  he 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
יָדַ֔ע  did  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
כִּֽי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
אֹרֵ֥ב  [there  was]  an  ambush 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אָרַב  
Sense: to lie in wait, ambush, lurk.
ל֖וֹ  against  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
מֵאַחֲרֵ֥י  behind 
Parse: Preposition-m
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
הָעִֽיר  the  city 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.