Study it in the app“And it came about, when the king of Ai saw it, that the men of the city hurried and rose early and went out to meet Israel in battle, he and all his people, at the appointed time before the Arabah; but he did not know that there was an ambush against him behind the city.”
And it came about,וַיְהִיwhenכִּthe kingמֶלֶךְof Aiהָעַיsaw it,רְאוֹתthat the menאַנְשֵׁיof the cityהָעִירhurriedוַיְמַהֲרוּand rose earlyוַיַּשְׁכִּימוּand went outוַיֵּצְאוּto meetלִקְרַאתIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלin battle,לַמִּלְחָמָהheהוּאand allוְכָלhis people,עַמּוֹat the appointed timeלַמּוֹעֵדbeforeלִפְנֵיthe Arabah;הָעֲרָבָהbut heוְהוּאdid notלֹאknowיָדַעthatכִּיthere was an ambushאֹרֵבagainst himלוֹbehindמֵאַחֲרֵיthe city.הָעִיר
happen
For something to occur or take place; many stories open with this word.
Where else “yehi” appearsking
A king who rules a people.
Where else “melech” appearsAi
See it on the mapWhere else “ay” appearssee
To see with one's eyes.
Where else “reot” appearsman
An adult male person; also each man of a people, a trade or a place.
Where else “anshe” appearscity
A settled place protected by a wall, with a gate and houses.
Where else “ir” appearshurry
To act without delay, with haste and energy.
Where else “yemaharu” appearsrise early
To get up early to do something.
Where else “yashkimu” appearsset out
To set out somewhere, or go out to war.
Where else “yetsu” appearsmeet
To go out to greet someone who arrives, in order to receive him.
Where else “kerat” appearsIsrael
Israel, the new name Jacob received from God, explained as "you have striven with God" (Genesis 32:28); then the name of the people that came from him and, after the division, of the northern kingdom.
Where else “yisrael” appearswar, battle
War, battle.
Where else “milchama” appearscrowd
The people gathered in a place: the crowd, or the troops that go out to war.
Where else “am” appearsappointed time
A date fixed beforehand.
Where else “moed” appearsbefore
Literally "to the face of": in sight of someone, or on account of something.
Where else “fene” appearsArabah
The valley of the Jordan and the Dead Sea.
Where else “arava” appearsknow
To know something, realize.
Where else “yada” appearslie in wait
Lie in wait: wait in hiding to attack.
Where else “orev” appears“At the appointed time” can also be understood “at the appointed place.”
Ai ?
Today: possibly et-Tell or Khirbet el-Maqatir, West Bank
A city east of Bethel; its exact site is not certain.
Israel was defeated there because of Achan's sin (Josh 7:2-5), and later God gave them the victory (Josh 8:1).
13So the people positioned all the camp that was to the north of the city and its rear to the west of the city, and Joshua went that night into the middle of the valley.
14 · This verse (above)
15Joshua and all Israel let themselves be beaten before them and fled by the way of the wilderness.
