Joshua 8:18

18 Then the Lord said to Joshua, "Hold your spear toward Ai, because I will give you that city." So Joshua held his spear toward the city of Ai.

Joshua 8:18 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 8:18

And the Lord said unto Joshua, stretch out the spear that [is]
in thy hand towards Ai
On which was a flag, as Abarbinel and Ben Melech think; and which is not improbable, and served for a signal for the ambush to come out and seize the city, as both they and Jarchi observe, as well as a signal also to the army of Israel to prepare to turn and face about, and engage with the enemy; though they did not actually do this until they saw the smoke of the city, ( Joshua 8:21 ) ;

for I will give it into thine hand;
of which the stretching out of his spear seems also to be a confirming sign to him, and which he kept stretched out until all the inhabitants of Ai were destroyed, ( Joshua 8:26 ) ;

and Joshua stretched out the spear that [he had] in his hand toward
the city:
and therefore must turn himself towards it; and it is highly probable that at the same time there was a full stop of the army, and that they immediately turned or prepared to turn about.

Joshua 8:18 In-Context

16 The men in Ai were called to chase Joshua and his men, so they left the city and went after them.

17 All the men of Ai and Bethel chased the army of Israel. The city was left open; not a man stayed to protect it.

18 Then the Lord said to Joshua, "Hold your spear toward Ai, because I will give you that city." So Joshua held his spear toward the city of Ai.

19 When the Israelites who were in ambush saw this, they quickly came out of their hiding place and hurried toward the city. They entered the city, took control of it, and quickly set it on fire.

20 When the men of Ai looked back, they saw smoke rising from their city. At the same time the Israelites stopped running and turned against the men of Ai, who could not escape in any direction.