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Joshua 8:18

in Joshua 8

Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Hold out your battle lance toward Ai, for into your hand I will deliver the city.” So Joshua held out his battle lance toward Ai,

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And Jehovah said unto Joshua, Stretch out the javelin that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thy hand. And Joshua stretched out the javelin that was in his hand toward the city.

KJV

And the Lord said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city.

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This verse in Joshua 8

Commentary

3 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

Stretch out the spear - It is very probable that Joshua had a flag or ensign at the end of his spear, which might be easily seen at a considerable distance; and that the unfurling or waving of this was the sign agreed on between him and the ambush. (see Jos 8:13, and the preceding observations on Jos 8:1 (note), observation 6); and on seeing this flag or ensign unfurled, the men who lay in ambush arose and entered the city, making the fire previously agreed on. See Jos 8:8.

This site's exposition

Stretch out the spear that

on Joshua 8:18-19

The gesture is commanded before it is made, and the promise is attached to it, for I will give it into thine hand. Clarke takes the spear for a standard carrying a flag, which is what would make it readable to men lying a mile off behind a town. Behind it stands Exodus 17:11, where Israel prevailed while Moses held up his hand, and the man fighting in the valley on that day was Joshua.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

Stretch out the spear - This was, either, 1. for a sign to his host present with him, to stop their flight, and make head against the pursuers: or, 2. for a signal to the liers in wait, or, 3. as a token of God's presence and assistance with them, and of their victory.

The words behind it

20 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וַיֹּ֨אמֶרand he said

    vaiyomerH559 →5305 times

  • יְהוָ֜הYahweh

    yahwehH3068 →6520 times

  • אֶל־to

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַJoshua

    yehoshua'H3091 →218 times

  • נְ֠טֵהstretch out

    netehH5186 →214 times

  • בַּכִּיד֤וֹןwith the javelin

    bakidonH3591 →9 times

  • אֲשֶׁר־which

    ʾasher-H834 →5497 times

  • בְּיָֽדְךָ֙[is] in hand your

    beyadekhaH3027 →1618 times

  • אֶל־to

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • הָעַ֔י<the> Ai

    haaiH5857 →40 times

  • כִּ֥יfor

    kiH3588 →4482 times

  • בְיָדְךָ֖in hand your

    veyadekhaH3027 →1618 times

  • אֶתְּנֶ֑נָּהI will give it

    ʾettenenahH5414 →2011 times

  • וַיֵּ֧טand he stretched out

    vaiyetH5186 →214 times

  • יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַJoshua

    yehoshua'H3091 →218 times

  • בַּכִּיד֥וֹןwith the javelin

    bakidonH3591 →9 times

  • אֲשֶׁר־which

    ʾasher-H834 →5497 times

  • בְּיָד֖וֹ[was] in hand his

    beyadoH3027 →1618 times

  • אֶל־to

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • הָעִֽיר׃the city

    hairH5892 →1090 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

11 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Joshua 8:26Joshua did not draw back the hand that held his battle lance until he had devoted to destruction all who lived in Ai.5 worksJob 15:25For he has stretched out his hand against God and has vaunted himself against the Almighty,3 works1 Samuel 17:41Now the Philistine came closer and closer to David, with his shield-bearer before him.2 worksJoshua 8:7you are to rise from the ambush and seize the city, for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.2 worksExodus 8:5And the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers and canals and ponds, and cause the frogs to come up onto the land of Egypt.’”2 worksExodus 14:16And as for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.2 works
The other 5 cross-references, with their words ▾
Exodus 17:9–12So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on the hilltop with the staff of God in my hand.”2 works1 Samuel 17:6and he had armor of bronze on his legs and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders.2 works1 Samuel 17:45But David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.2 worksExodus 23:31And I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the desert to the Euphrates. For I will deliver the inhabitants into your hand, and you will drive them out before you.2 worksJob 39:23A quiver rattles at his side, along with a flashing spear and lance.1 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Joshua 8:26

    Joshua did not draw back the hand that held his battle lance until he had devoted to destruction all who lived in Ai.

    it leads to

    • Exodus 17:11–12

      As long as Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed; but when he lowered them, Amalek prevailed.

  • Through

    Exodus 8:5

    And the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers and canals and ponds, and cause the frogs to come up onto the land of Egypt.’”

    it leads to

    • Exodus 7:19

      And the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—over their rivers and canals and ponds and reservoirs—that they may become blood.’ There…

  • Through

    Job 15:25

    For he has stretched out his hand against God and has vaunted himself against the Almighty,

    it leads to

    • Job 9:4

      God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has resisted Him and prospered?

    • Psalms 73:9

      They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongues strut across the earth.

    • Psalms 52:7

      “Look at the man who did not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his wealth and strengthened himself by destruction.”

    • Daniel 5:23

      Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels from His house were brought to you, and as you drank wine from them with your nobles, wives, and concubines, you praised…

  • Through

    Joshua 8:7

    you are to rise from the ambush and seize the city, for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.

    it leads to

    • Proverbs 21:30–31

      There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.

    • Joshua 8:1

      Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. See, I have delivered into your hand the king of…

About Joshua

Joshua Burns the Town of Ai — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
Joshua Burns the Town of Ai — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
Joshua: the study guide →Read Joshua 8 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Joshua 8 →