Josua 8:20

Schlachter Bibel

Als sich nun die Männer von Ai umwandten und zurückschauten, siehe, da ging der Rauch der Stadt gen Himmel auf; sie aber hatten nicht Raum zu fliehen, weder dahin noch dorthin. Und das Volk, das zur Wüste floh, kehrte sich um gegen seine Verfolger.

Parallel Translations

Elberfelder Bibel (1905)
Und die Männer von Ai wandten sich um und sahen, und siehe, der Rauch der Stadt stieg gen Himmel empor; und sie hatten keine Kraft, dahin noch dorthin zu fliehen. Denn das Volk, das nach der Wüste hin geflohen war, wandte sich um gegen die Nachjagenden.

Lutherbible (1912)
Und die Männer von Ai wandten sich und sahen hinter sich und sahen den Rauch der Stadt aufgehen gen Himmel und hatten nicht Raum zu fliehen, weder hin noch her. Und das Volk, das zur Wüste floh, kehrte sich um gegen die, so ihnen nachjagten.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the smoke: Genesis 19:28, Isaiah 34:10, Revelation 18:9, Revelation 19:3

and they had: Job 11:20, Psalms 48:5, Psalms 48:6, Psalms 76:5, Amos 2:14-16, Revelation 6:15-17

power: Heb. hand

Reciprocal: Judges 20:40 - looked Judges 20:43 - enclosed 1 Samuel 13:6 - in a strait 2 Kings 3:24 - smote the 2 Chronicles 13:14 - looked back Daniel 8:7 - and there was no Joel 2:30 - pillars 1 Thessalonians 5:3 - then

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when the men of Ai looked behind them,.... On some account or another, perhaps observing that the army of Israel made a full stop and was gazing at the city:

they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven; from whence they concluded an enemy was there, and had set fire to it:

and they had no power to flee this way or that way; for if they turned back to their city there was an enemy, how powerful they knew not, possessed of it, and whom they might expect would meet them; and if they pushed forward, there was the whole army of Israel against them, which now turned and faced them, showing no fear of them:

and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers; the people of Israel, that fled by the way of the wilderness, Joshua 8:15, turned about, and fell upon the men of Ai that pursued them.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Joshua 8:20. They had no power to flee this way or that way — They were in utter consternation; they saw that the city was taken, they found themselves in the midst of their foes; that their wives, children, and property, had fallen a prey to their enemies, in consequence of which they were so utterly panic-struck as to be incapable of making any resistance.