Josua 8:18

Svenska Bibel

Och HERREN sade till Josua: »Räck ut lansen, som du har i din hand, mot Ai, ty jag skall giva det i din hand.» Då räckte Josua ut lansen, som han hade i sin hand, mot staden.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Stretch: Joshua 8:7, Joshua 8:26, Exodus 8:5, Exodus 17:11, Job 15:25

the spear: The word keedon is rendered clypeum, a shield or buckler, by the Vulgate but the LXX translate it דביףןם, which Suidas says, signifies a kind of weapon, ןיןם הןסבפןע, like a spear. It may denote a short spear, javelin, or lance; for it is evident that it signifies neither the larger spear nor the shield, because it is distinguished from both. 1 Samuel 17:6, 1 Samuel 17:41, 1 Samuel 17:45, Job 39:23, Joshua may have had a flag or ensign at the end of the spear, which might be seen at a considerable distance when extended, which was the sign agreed upon by him and the ambush.

Reciprocal: Exodus 23:31 - deliver the Judges 20:33 - rose up

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the Lord said unto Joshua, stretch out the spear that [is] in thy hand towards Ai,.... On which was a flag, as Abarbinel and Ben Melech think; and which is not improbable, and served for a signal for the ambush to come out and seize the city, as both they and Jarchi observe, as well as a signal also to the army of Israel to prepare to turn and face about, and engage with the enemy; though they did not actually do this until they saw the smoke of the city, Joshua 8:21;

for I will give it into thine hand; of which the stretching out of his spear seems also to be a confirming sign to him, and which he kept stretched out until all the inhabitants of Ai were destroyed, Joshua 8:26;

and Joshua stretched out the spear that [he had] in his hand toward the city: and therefore must turn himself towards it; and it is highly probable that at the same time there was a full stop of the army, and that they immediately turned or prepared to turn about.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

No doubt Joshua had ascended the heights, most likely those to the north of the valley, so as to separate himself from the flying Israelites on the lower ground, and to be visible to the men in ambush behind the city. He now, at the command of God, gives the appointed signal to the ambush.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Joshua 8:18. 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 Joshua 8:13, and the preceding observations on Joshua 8:1, 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 Joshua 8:8.