Joshua 8:14

And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw [it]
Not the ambush on the west side, but the host or army on the north side, or, however, some of his people gave him notice of it:

that they hasted and rose up early;
or made haste to rise out of their beds, on the alarm given of Israel's near approach:

and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle;
being raised out of their beds and accoutred with armour, and put into a military order, they marched out with their king at the head of them, to give Israel battle:

he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain;
which was before the city, the same with the valley mentioned, ( Joshua 8:11 Joshua 8:13 ) ; the city was built on an eminence, and this plain or valley lay at the bottom of it; and on an eminence on the other side of the valley the army of Israel was pitched; wherefore the king of Ai and all his men of war went out hither to attack Israel, and this is said to be at an appointed time; it is difficult to say what is meant by it, when they seem to have hurried out as best as they could, as soon as they perceived the Israelites were near them: Ben Gersom and Abarbinel think it was the same time of the day they went out at first, which the king might choose as lucky, being before successful, and to encourage the men, that as they conquered then they should now; which seems not amiss, though perhaps it rather designs an appointed place, as their rendezvous, and where to attack Israel, and where they had been before victorious:

but he wist not that [there were] liers in ambush against him behind
the city;
that he knew nothing of, and therefore took no precaution against them to prevent their design.