Joshua 8:17
New International Version
Not a man remained in Ai or Bethel who did not go after Israel. They left the city open and went in pursuit of Israel.

New Living Translation
There was not a man left in Ai or Bethel who did not chase after the Israelites, and the town was left wide open.

English Standard Version
Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel. They left the city open and pursued Israel.

Berean Standard Bible
Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel, leaving the city wide open while they pursued Israel.

King James Bible
And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.

New King James Version
There was not a man left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel. So they left the city open and pursued Israel.

New American Standard Bible
So not a man was left in Ai or Bethel, but they had all gone out after Israel, and they left the city unguarded and pursued Israel.

NASB 1995
So not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who had not gone out after Israel, and they left the city unguarded and pursued Israel.

NASB 1977
So not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who had not gone out after Israel, and they left the city unguarded and pursued Israel.

Legacy Standard Bible
So not a man remained in Ai or Bethel who had not gone out after Israel, and they forsook the city, leaving it open, and pursued Israel.

Amplified Bible
Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who had not gone out after Israel; so they left the city open and unguarded and they pursued Israel.

Christian Standard Bible
Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel, leaving the city exposed while they pursued Israel.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel, leaving the city exposed while they pursued Israel.

American Standard Version
And there was not a man left in Ai or Beth-el, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.

English Revised Version
And there was not a man left in Ai or Beth-el, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Not one man was left in Ai or Bethel; they all went after Israel. So the city was left unprotected as they chased Israel.

Good News Translation
Every man in Ai went after the Israelites, and the city was left wide open, with no one to defend it.

International Standard Version
There wasn't a single man left in Ai or Bethel who didn't run out after Israel. They left the city open and pursued Israel.

Majority Standard Bible
Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel, leaving the city wide open while they pursued Israel.

NET Bible
No men were left in Ai or Bethel; they all went out after Israel. They left the city wide open and chased Israel.

New Heart English Bible
There was not a man left in Ai or Beth El who did not go out after Israel. They left the city open, and pursued Israel.

Webster's Bible Translation
And there was not a man left in Ai, or Beth-el that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued Israel.

World English Bible
There was not a man left in Ai or Bethel who didn’t go out after Israel. They left the city open, and pursued Israel.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and there has not been a man left in Ai and Bethel who has not gone out after Israel, and they leave the city open, and pursue after Israel.

Young's Literal Translation
and there hath not been left a man in Ai and Bethel who hath not gone out after Israel, and they leave the city open, and pursue after Israel.

Smith's Literal Translation
And a man was not left in Ai and the house of God, who will not go forth after Israel: and they will leave the city opened and will pursue after Israel.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And not one remained in the city of Hai and of Bethel, that did not pursue after Israel, leaving the towns open as they had rushed out,

Catholic Public Domain Version
and indeed not one remained in the city of Ai and of Bethel who did not pursue after Israel, (leaving the towns open after they had rushed out,)

New American Bible
not a soldier remained in Ai or Bethel. They abandoned the city, leaving it open, as they pursued Israel.

New Revised Standard Version
There was not a man left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel; they left the city open, and pursued Israel.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And there was not a man left in Ai or Beth-el who did not go out after Israel; and they left the city open, and pursued Israel.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And there was not a man left in Ai or in Bayth Eil who did not go out after Israel and they left the city when it was opened up and they pursued after Israel
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And there was not a man left in Ai or Beth-el, that went not out after Israel; and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
There was no one left in Gai who did not pursue after Israel; and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Conquest of Ai
16Then all the men of Ai were summoned to pursue them, and they followed Joshua and were drawn away from the city. 17Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel, leaving the city wide open while they pursued Israel. 18Then 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,…

Cross References
Joshua 2:9-11
and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of you. / For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites across the Jordan, whom you devoted to destruction. / When we heard this, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth below.

Joshua 6:1-2
Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. / And the LORD said to Joshua, “Behold, I have delivered Jericho into your hand, along with its king and its mighty men of valor.

Judges 20:31-32
The Benjamites came out against them and were drawn away from the city. They began to attack the people as before, killing about thirty men of Israel in the fields and on the roads, one of which led up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah. / “We are defeating them as before,” said the Benjamites. But the Israelites said, “Let us retreat and draw them away from the city onto the roads.”

2 Samuel 10:9-10
When Joab saw the battle lines before him and behind him, he selected some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Arameans. / And he placed the rest of the troops under the command of his brother Abishai, who arrayed them against the Ammonites.

2 Kings 7:14-16
Then the scouts took two chariots with horses, and the king sent them after the Aramean army, saying, “Go and see.” / And they tracked them as far as the Jordan, and indeed, the whole way was littered with the clothing and equipment the Arameans had thrown off in haste. So the scouts returned and told the king. / Then the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. It was then that a seah of fine flour sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley sold for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.

2 Chronicles 13:13-17
Now Jeroboam had sent troops around to ambush from the rear, so that while he was in front of Judah, the ambush was behind them. / When Judah turned and discovered that the battle was both before and behind them, they cried out to the LORD. Then the priests blew the trumpets, / and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. And when they raised the cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. ...

Isaiah 37:33-35
So this is what the LORD says about the king of Assyria: ‘He will not enter this city or shoot an arrow into it. He will not come before it with a shield or build up a siege ramp against it. / He will go back the way he came, and he will not enter this city,’ declares the LORD. / ‘I will defend this city and save it for My own sake and for the sake of My servant David.’”

Jeremiah 21:4-7
this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will turn against you the weapons of war in your hands, with which you are fighting the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who besiege you outside the wall, and I will assemble their forces in the center of this city. / And I Myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and a mighty arm, with anger, fury, and great wrath. / I will strike down the residents of this city, both man and beast. They will die in a terrible plague.’ ...

Jeremiah 34:21-22
And I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah and his officials into the hands of their enemies who seek their lives, to the army of the king of Babylon that had withdrawn from you. / Behold, I am going to give the command, declares the LORD, and I will bring them back to this city. They will fight against it, capture it, and burn it down. And I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.”

Ezekiel 21:22
In his right hand appears the portent for Jerusalem, where he is to set up battering rams, to call for the slaughter, to lift a battle cry, to direct the battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp, and to erect a siege wall.

Matthew 24:15-18
So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand), / then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. / Let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve anything from his house. ...

Mark 13:14-16
So when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. / Let no one on the housetop go back inside to retrieve anything from his house. / And let no one in the field return for his cloak.

Luke 21:20-22
But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, you will know that her desolation is near. / Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country stay out of the city. / For these are the days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written.

Acts 5:19-20
But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out, saying, / “Go, stand in the temple courts and tell the people the full message of this new life.”

Acts 12:18-19
At daybreak there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. / After Herod had searched for him unsuccessfully, he examined the guards and ordered that they be executed. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent some time there.


Treasury of Scripture

And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.

a man

Joshua 8:3,24,25
So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by night…

Joshua 11:20
For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Deuteronomy 2:30
But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him: for the LORD thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day.

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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














Not a man was left
This phrase emphasizes the totality of the response from the inhabitants of Ai and Bethel. In the Hebrew context, the word for "man" (אִישׁ, 'ish) often signifies not just males but the entirety of the population capable of fighting. This reflects the complete confidence and perhaps overconfidence of Ai and Bethel in their military strength, leading them to leave no one behind to defend their cities. Historically, this underscores the strategic miscalculation of Ai, as they underestimated Israel's tactics.

in Ai or Bethel
Ai and Bethel were neighboring cities in the central hill country of Canaan. Archaeological evidence suggests that these cities were significant in the region, with Ai being a fortified city. Bethel, meaning "House of God," held religious significance and was a key location in the patriarchal narratives. The mention of both cities indicates a coalition against Israel, highlighting the threat Israel faced and the divine orchestration in their victory.

who did not go out after Israel
The phrase indicates a unanimous decision to pursue Israel, suggesting a sense of urgency and determination among the Canaanites. The Hebrew root for "go out" (יָצָא, yatsa) often implies a deliberate action, reflecting the aggressive intent of Ai and Bethel. This pursuit was part of a larger divine strategy, as God used their eagerness to draw them away from their stronghold, setting the stage for Israel's ambush.

leaving the city wide open
This phrase highlights the vulnerability of Ai and Bethel once their forces had left. The Hebrew concept of "wide open" (פָּתוּחַ, pathuach) conveys a sense of exposure and defenselessness. In a military context, leaving a city unguarded was a grave error, demonstrating the effectiveness of Joshua's strategy and God's guidance. This moment of vulnerability was pivotal for Israel's success, as it allowed them to capture the city without resistance.

while they pursued Israel
The pursuit of Israel by the forces of Ai and Bethel was a tactical maneuver that played into Israel's hands. The Hebrew word for "pursued" (רָדַף, radaph) often implies a relentless chase, indicating the intensity of the Canaanites' efforts to defeat Israel. This pursuit, however, was part of God's plan to lure them away from their city, showcasing the divine wisdom in Israel's military strategy. The narrative demonstrates how God can use the enemy's aggression to fulfill His purposes, turning what seemed like a disadvantage into a decisive victory for His people.

(17) There was not a man left in Ai or Beth-el.--Another singular justification of the peculiar strategy of Joshua. The road past Beth-el to Ai had been left open. It passes the north end of the two ravines in which Joshua's ambush was posted. At the same time, it would have been easy to conceal a chain of sentinels that could observe it and tell the 35,000 men in ambush what was going on, so that if any attempt had been made by the men of Beth-el to protect Ai, it could easily have been frustrated. But no one suspected any danger, and therefore no such attempt was made. The men of Beth-el and Ai took the road that was left open to them and pursued the Israelites, probably down the ancient way past Michmash towards the Shebarim, leaving Beth-el and Ai both unprotected. After they had gone some distance, about a mile or a mile and a half from Ai, this road would bring them past the lower end of the ravine in which the ambush was posted. A second chain of outposts would easily take the signal from Joshua when this point had been passed, and then all was over with the town of Ai.

It is curious that we do not hear of the capture of Beth-el at this time, though it would have been perfectly easy to take it. The king of Beth-el is named in the list of those whom Joshua smote (Joshua 12:16). We read of its capture in Judges 1:22, and of the "entrance into the city" being sought for and betrayed. But that can hardly have been the first capture of the town.

Verse 17. - Or Bethel. These words are not in the LXX., and they may possibly have been a marginal gloss, for the intervention of the people of Bethel in this battle is very unintelligible. See note on Joshua 7:2. On the other hand, it is quite possible that the difficulty involved in their retention may have caused their omission from the LXX., and it may perhaps be thought possible that, on the capture of Ai, the Bethelites returned with all speed to their city, and that Joshua postponed its capture in consequence of the formidable confederacy (Joshua 9:1, 2), which his success had called into existence, or, perhaps, by a desire to signalise at once the victory at Ai by the ceremony (vers. 30-35) at Gerizim. We read in Joshua 12:16 that Bethel was taken. In Judges 1:22 we read that it was not (see note on Joshua 12:16).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Not
וְלֹֽא־ (wə·lō-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

a man
אִ֗ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

was left
נִשְׁאַ֣ר (niš·’ar)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7604: To swell up, be, redundant

in Ai
בָּעַי֙ (bā·‘ay)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 5857: Ai -- a Canaanite city

or Bethel
אֵ֔ל (’êl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1008: Bethel -- 'house of God', a city in Ephraim, also a place in southern Judah

who
אֲשֶׁ֥ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

did not
לֹֽא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

go out
יָצְא֖וּ (yā·ṣə·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

after
אַחֲרֵ֣י (’a·ḥă·rê)
Preposition
Strong's 310: The hind or following part

Israel,
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

leaving
וַיַּעַזְב֤וּ (way·ya·‘az·ḇū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5800: To loosen, relinquish, permit

the city
הָעִיר֙ (hā·‘îr)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

wide open
פְּתוּחָ֔ה (pə·ṯū·ḥāh)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular
Strong's 6605: To open wide, to loosen, begin, plough, carve

while they pursued
וַֽיִּרְדְּפ֖וּ (way·yir·də·p̄ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7291: To pursue, chase, persecute

Israel.
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc


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OT History: Joshua 8:17 There was not a man left (Josh. Jos)
Joshua 8:16
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