Yosua 8:20

8:20 When the men of Ai turned around, they saw ¹  the smoke from the city ascending into the sky and were so shocked they were unable to flee in any direction. ²  In the meantime the men who were retreating to the desert turned against their pursuers.

Yosua 8:24

8:24 When Israel had finished killing all the men ³  of Ai who had chased them toward the desert ⁴  (they all fell by the sword), ⁵  all Israel returned to Ai and put the sword to it.

Yosua 8:31

8:31 just as Moses the Lord’s servant had commanded the Israelites. As described in the law scroll of Moses, it was made with uncut stones untouched by an iron tool. ⁶  They offered burnt sacrifices on it and sacrificed tokens of peace. ⁷ 

[8:20]  ¹ tn Heb “and they saw, and look.” The Hebrew term הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) draws attention to the scene and invites the audience to view the events from the perspective of the men of Ai.

[8:20]  ² tn Heb “and there was not in them hands to flee here or there.” The Hebrew term יָדַיִם (yadayim, “hands”) is idiomatic for “strength.”

[8:24]  ³ tn Heb “residents.”

[8:24]  ⁴ tn Heb “in the field, in the desert in which they chased them.”

[8:24]  ⁵ tc Heb “and all of them fell by the edge of the sword until they were destroyed.” The LXX omits the words, “and all of them fell by the edge of the sword.” They may represent a later scribal addition.

[8:31]  ⁶ tn Heb “as it is written in the scroll of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones on which no one had wielded iron.” The expression “whole stones” refers to stones in their natural condition, i.e., not carved or shaped artificially with tools (“wielded iron”).

[8:31]  ⁷ tn Or “peace offerings.”