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Joshua 8:18-20
New English Translation
Joshua 8:18-20
New English Translation
18 The Lord told Joshua, “Hold out toward Ai the curved sword[a] in your hand, for I am handing the city[b] over to you.” So Joshua held out toward Ai the curved sword in his hand. 19 When he held out his hand, the men waiting in ambush rose up quickly from their place and attacked.[c] They entered the city, captured it, and immediately set it on fire. 20 When the men of Ai turned around, they saw[d] the smoke from the city ascending into the sky and were so shocked they were unable to flee in any direction.[e] In the meantime the men who were retreating to the wilderness turned against their pursuers.
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- Joshua 8:18 tn Traditionally “spear,” but see HALOT 472 s.v. כִּידוֹן, which argues based upon evidence from the Dead Sea Scrolls that this term refers to a curved sword of some type; note the definition “scimitar” given there.
- Joshua 8:18 tn Heb “it”; the referent (the city of Ai) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Joshua 8:19 tn Heb “and ran.”
- Joshua 8:20 tn Heb “and they saw, and look.” The Hebrew term הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) draws attention to the scene and invites the audience to view the events from the perspective of the men of Ai.
- Joshua 8:20 tn Heb “and there was not in them hands to flee here or there.” The Hebrew term יָדַיִם (yadayim, “hands”) is idiomatic for “strength.”
New English Translation (NET)
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