Joshua 8:6 describes a deliberate tactic in Israel’s second attack on the city of Ai. Joshua tells his army to pretend to retreat, so that the men of Ai will chase them away from their walls and leave the city open to a hidden force. The verse is Joshua’s own battle plan, spoken to the main army as they prepare to move against Ai.
They will come out after us, until we have drawn them away from the city; for they will say, ‘They flee before us, like the first time.’ So we will flee before them…
Joshua 8:6 (WEB)
What Joshua 8:6 Means
The verse begins with a prediction: the enemy “will come out after us.” Joshua is confident that the people of Ai will pursue the Israelite troops once they see them fleeing, because this is what happened in the earlier battle against Ai. The phrase “until we have drawn them away from the city” names the goal of the retreat. The point is not to escape but to pull the defenders out of their fortified position so the city is left unguarded.
The final phrases explain the reasoning. Ai’s soldiers will say to themselves that Israel is running again, just as before, and that overconfidence will lead them into the open. Joshua then tells his own men to flee on purpose. The verse promises a tactic that depends on human planning and on knowing how an opponent thinks. It does not promise that the plan will work for any other situation, nor does it present the strategy as a guaranteed formula for winning battles.
The Context of Joshua 8:6
The book of Joshua is traditionally attributed to Joshua himself, with some later editing, and it records Israel’s conquest of the land of Canaan after the death of Moses. Its first audience would have been the Israelite community, who needed to see that the promises God made to their ancestors were being fulfilled in the taking of the land. The story of Ai comes just after Israel’s first defeat at that city, which happened because Achan had taken forbidden plunder at Jericho (Joshua 7).
Verses 3 to 9 show that this second attack is directed by God. Verse 7 says that “the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand,” and verse 8 adds that Joshua is following God’s word. Reading Joshua 8:6 in this setting makes clear that the tactic is not a human scheme pitted against God’s will. Joshua’s careful planning is presented as obedience to the instructions God has given, and the victory is credited to God as much as to the army’s cleverness.
Key Phrases in Joshua 8:6
Joshua 8:7
And you shall rise up from the ambush, and take possession of the city; for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.
(WEB)
This verse continues the same battle plan and shows the ambush force receiving its instructions. Reading it alongside Joshua 8:6 reveals how the two halves of the strategy depend on each other, with one group drawing the enemy out while the other takes the city.
Proverbs 21:31
The horse is prepared for the day of battle; but victory is with the LORD.
(WEB)
This proverb says the horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory belongs to the LORD. It sits well beside Joshua 8:6 because it honors careful preparation while placing the final outcome in God’s hands.
A Short Prayer From Joshua 8:6
Lord, you know how easily I rush into conflict or give up too soon. Give me patience to plan well and wisdom to read the situations I face. Help me see when to act and when to wait, and keep my motives honest so that I never use cunning to hurt someone. Let my steps be guided by your word, and let me trust that you are the one who brings lasting victory. Amen.
