What is the meaning of Joshua 8:6?

They will pursue us

• The Lord instructs Joshua to anticipate the men of Ai giving chase. Because God knows every heart (Psalm 139:1–4), He can predict their response with complete accuracy.

• Israel’s apparent retreat would ignite Ai’s confidence just as Pharaoh’s heart was hardened to pursue Israel at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:3–4).

• The verse underscores God’s sovereignty: even the enemy’s impulses serve His purpose (Proverbs 21:1).

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until we have drawn them away from the city

• The tactic requires Israel to leave Ai empty and undefended. This mirrors the later strategy at Gibeah, where Benjamites were lured out of their stronghold (Judges 20:31–32).

• God combines human obedience with divine orchestration; Israel must act, yet the plan’s success rests on the Lord’s promise (Joshua 8:1).

• Removing the enemy from their fortress turns their seeming advantage into a fatal weakness (2 Samuel 5:23–24).

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for they will say, ‘The Israelites are running away from us as they did before.’

• Ai’s soldiers remember Israel’s prior defeat (Joshua 7:5) and assume history will repeat itself. The Lord permits their overconfidence to blind them (Psalm 9:16).

• God often allows past failures to set the stage for future victory, transforming reproach into redemption (Isaiah 61:7).

• The enemy’s false security echoes Goliath’s disdain for David (1 Samuel 17:42–44); both misread God’s people because they ignore God Himself.

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So as we flee from them

• Israel’s retreat is deliberate obedience, not panic. Faith sometimes looks like weakness before it proves God’s strength (2 Corinthians 12:9).

• The act of fleeing positions Israel exactly where God wants them, much like Jehoshaphat’s army stood still to see salvation (2 Chronicles 20:17).

• Their movement invites the ambush to spring, illustrating that God may call His people to strategic patience before decisive action (James 4:7; Ecclesiastes 3:1, 8).

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summary

Joshua 8:6 reveals God’s detailed battle plan: Israel will pretend to flee, drawing Ai’s army away so an ambush can seize the undefended city. The verse highlights God’s foreknowledge, the value of obedient strategy, and His power to turn former defeat into triumph. By trusting and following the Lord’s precise instructions, Israel moves from shame to victory, showcasing that every circumstance—even apparent retreat—can serve God’s redemptive purpose.