Joshua 8:20

KJV1611 – Modern English

And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way; and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.

Additional Resources

Other Translations

  • Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

    When the men of Ai looked back, they saw the smoke of the city rising to the sky, and they had no power to flee in any direction. The Israelites who had fled toward the wilderness now turned against their pursuers.

  • King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

    And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.

  • American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

    And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.

  • King James Version with Strong's Numbers

    And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.

  • Coverdale Bible (1535)

    And the men of Hai turned them, and loked behynde them, and the smoke of the cite wente vp towarde heauen, and they had no place to flie vnto, nether hither ner thither: and the people that fled towarde the wyldernes turned aboute, to folowe vpon them.

  • Geneva Bible (1560)

    And the men of Ai looked behinde them, and sawe it: for loe, the smoke of the citie ascended vp to heauen, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: for the people that fled to the wildernesse, turned backe vpon the pursuers.

  • Bishops' Bible (1568)

    And when the men of Ai loked backe after them, they sawe the smoke of the citie ascend vp to heauen, and they had no place to flee either this way or that: and the people that fled to the wildernes, turned backe againe vpon the folowers.

  • Authorized King James Version (1611)

    And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.

  • Webster's Bible (1833)

    When the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people who fled to the wilderness turned back on the pursuers.

  • Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

    And the men of Ai look behind them, and see, and lo, the smoke of the city hath gone up unto the heavens, and there hath not been in them power to flee hither and thither -- and the people who are fleeing to the wilderness have turned against the pursuer, --

  • American Standard Version (1901)

    And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.

  • American Standard Version (1901)

    And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.

  • Bible in Basic English (1941)

    Then the men of Ai, looking back, saw the smoke of the town going up to heaven, and were unable to go this way or that: and the people who had gone in flight to the waste land were turned back on those who were coming after them.

  • World English Bible (2000)

    When the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way. The people who fled to the wilderness turned back on the pursuers.

  • NET Bible® (New English Translation)

    When the men of Ai turned around, they saw the smoke from the city ascending into the sky and were so shocked they were unable to flee in any direction. In the meantime the men who were retreating to the wilderness turned against their pursuers.

Referenced Verses

  • Gen 19:28 : 28 And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace.
  • Job 11:20 : 20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.
  • Ps 48:5-6 : 5 They saw it, and so they marveled; they were troubled and hurried away. 6 Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in labor.
  • Ps 76:5 : 5 The stouthearted have been plundered, they have slept their sleep; and none of the mighty men have found their hands.
  • Isa 34:10 : 10 It shall not be quenched night nor day; its smoke shall ascend forever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it forever and ever.
  • Amos 2:14-16 : 14 Therefore flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not reinforce his strength, neither shall the mighty save himself: 15 Neither shall he stand that handles the bow; and he who is swift of foot shall not save himself: neither shall he who rides the horse save himself. 16 And he who is courageous among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, says the LORD.
  • Rev 6:15-17 : 15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 For the great day of his wrath has come; and who shall be able to stand?
  • Rev 18:9 : 9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her, shall mourn and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning,
  • Rev 19:3 : 3 And again they said, Hallelujah. And her smoke rose up forever and ever.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Josh 8:21-29
    9 verses
    89%

    21And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again and slew the men of Ai.

    22And the others issued out of the city against them; so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side and some on that side; and they struck them so that none of them remained or escaped.

    23And the king of Ai they took alive and brought him to Joshua.

    24And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness where they chased them, and when they were all fallen by the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned to Ai and struck it with the edge of the sword.

    25And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, all the men of Ai.

    26For Joshua did not draw his hand back, with which he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.

    27Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey for themselves, according to the word of the LORD which he commanded Joshua.

    28And Joshua burned Ai and made it a heap forever, even a desolation to this day.

    29And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until evening; and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his corpse down from the tree and cast it at the entrance of the gate of the city, and raise over it a great heap of stones, that remains to this day.

  • Josh 8:1-19
    19 verses
    83%

    1And the LORD said to Joshua, Do not fear or be dismayed; take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land.

    2And you shall do to Ai and her king as you did to Jericho and her king, only the spoil and the cattle shall you take for a prey for yourselves; lay an ambush for the city behind it.

    3So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai; and Joshua chose thirty thousand mighty men of valor and sent them away by night.

    4And he commanded them, saying, Behold, you shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city; do not go very far from the city, but be all ready.

    5And I, and all the people that are with me, will approach the city, and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them.

    6(For they will come out after us) until we have drawn them from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first; therefore we will flee before them.

    7Then you shall rise up from the ambush and seize the city, for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.

    8And it shall be, when you have taken the city, that you shall set the city on fire; according to the commandment of the LORD you shall do. See, I have commanded you.

    9Joshua therefore sent them forth, and they went to lie in ambush, and stayed between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai; but Joshua lodged that night among the people.

    10And Joshua rose early in the morning, and numbered the people and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.

    11And all the people, even the people of war who were with him, went up and drew near, and came before the city and camped on the north side of Ai; now there was a valley between them and Ai.

    12And he took about five thousand men and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.

    13And when they had set the people, even all the army that was on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.

    14And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hurried 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 did not know that there were liers in ambush against him behind the city.

    15And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.

    16And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue after them; and they pursued after Joshua and were drawn away from the city.

    17And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel; and they left the city open and pursued after Israel.

    18And the LORD said to Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city.

    19And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand; and they entered into the city and took it and hastened and set the city on fire.

  • Judg 20:40-42
    3 verses
    76%

    40But when the flame began to rise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven.

    41And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed, for they saw that disaster had come upon them.

    42Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel toward the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them, and those who came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.

  • Josh 7:2-5
    4 verses
    75%

    2And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.

    3And they returned to Joshua, and said to him, Do not let all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and strike Ai; and do not make all the people labor there; for they are but few.

    4So about three thousand men went up there from the people: and they fled before the men of Ai.

    5And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men: for they chased them from before the gate even to Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent: so the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.

  • Joel 2:3
    73%

    3A fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns; the land is like the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yes, and nothing shall escape them.

  • Judg 20:38
    72%

    38Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the ambushers, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the city.

  • Josh 9:3
    72%

    3And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,

  • Josh 11:8
    71%

    8And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who struck them, and chased them to great Zidon, and to Misrephothmaim, and to the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they struck them, until they left none remaining.

  • Josh 10:19-20
    2 verses
    71%

    19And do not stay there, but pursue your enemies, and attack their rear guard. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand.

    20And it happened, when Joshua and the children of Israel finished slaying them with a very great slaughter, until they were consumed, that the rest who remained entered into fortified cities.

  • Josh 7:8
    70%

    8O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turns their backs before their enemies?

  • Josh 11:11
    70%

    11And they destroyed all the souls that were in it with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them: there was none left breathing: and he burned Hazor with fire.

  • Jer 46:5
    70%

    5Why have I seen them dismayed and turned back? Their mighty ones are beaten down, and have fled quickly, and do not look back: for fear is all around, says the LORD.