NET Bible
"The army was in position– the main army north of the city and the rear guard west of the city. That night Joshua went into the middle of the valley."
— Joshua 8:13, NET Bible
“And when they had set the people, even all the host that was on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.”
“So they set the people, even all the host that was on the north of the city, and their liers-in-wait that were on the west of the city; and Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley. ”
“So they set the people, even all the army who was on the north of the city, and their ambush on the west of the city; and Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.”
“But all the rest of the army went in battle array on the north side, so that the last of that multitude reached to the west side of the city. So Joshua went that night, and stood in the midst of the valley.”
“So all the people were in their places, the army on the north side of the town and the secret force on the west; and that night Joshua went down into the valley.”
“And when they had set the people, even all the host that was on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.”
Bright and early the next morning Joshua gathered the army, and he and the leaders of Israel marched at the head of it to Ai.
All the troops that were with him marched up and drew near the city. They camped north of Ai on the other side of the valley.
He took five thousand men and set an ambush west of the city between Bethel and Ai.
The army was in position– the main army north of the city and the rear guard west of the city. That night Joshua went into the middle of the valley.
When the king of Ai saw Israel, they rushed to get up early. Then the men of the city went out to meet Israel in battle, he and all his people, at the meeting place near the rift valley. But he did not realize an ambush was waiting for him behind the city.
Joshua and all Israel pretended to be defeated by them and they retreated along the way to the wilderness.
All the reinforcements in Ai were ordered to chase them; they chased Joshua and were lured away from the city.