Joshua 8:20 - Revised Standard Version

²⁰ So when the men of Ai looked back, behold, the smoke of the city went up to heaven; and they had no power to flee this way or that, for the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.

More versions

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

²⁰ And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

²⁰ When the men of Ai looked back, behold, the smoke of the city went up to the heavens, and they had no power to flee this way or that way. Then the Israelites who fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.

American Standard Version (1901)

²⁰ And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.

Common English Bible

²⁰ Then the men of Ai turned around. They caught sight of the smoke of the city rising toward the sky. They had no chance to flee one way or the other. The troops who were fleeing toward the desert turned against the pursuit.

Catholic Public Domain Version

²⁰ Now the men of the city who were pursuing Joshua, looking back and seeing the smoke of the city rising up even to heaven, were no longer able to flee in one direction or another, especially since those who had pretended to flee, and who were heading toward the wilderness, had turned back very strongly against those who were pursuing them.

Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version

²⁰ And the men of the city, that pursued after Josue, looking back and seeing the smoke of the city rise up to heaven, had no more power to flee this way or that way: especially as they that had counterfeited flight, and were going toward the wilderness, turned back most valiantly against them that pursued.

Joshua 8:20 Cross References

Genesis 19:28

and he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the valley, and beheld, and lo, smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace.

Job 11:20

But the eyes of the wicked will fail; all way of escape will be lost to them, and their hope is to breathe their last.”

Psalm 76:5

The stouthearted were stripped of their spoil; they sank into sleep; all the men of war were unable to use their hands.

Isaiah 34:10

Night and day it shall not be quenched; its smoke shall go up for ever. From generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever.

Joshua 8:19

And the ambush rose quickly out of their place, and as soon as he had stretched out his hand, they ran and entered the city and took it; and they made haste to set the city on fire.

Joshua 8:21

And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city went up, then they turned back and smote the men of Ai.

Revelation 18:9

And the kings of the earth, who committed fornication and were wanton with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning;

Revelation 19:3

Once more they cried, “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.”

Judges 20:38

Now the appointed signal between the men of Israel and the men in ambush was that when they made a great cloud of smoke rise up out of the city

Judges 20:40

But when the signal began to rise out of the city in a column of smoke, the Benjaminites looked behind them; and behold, the whole of the city went up in smoke to heaven.

Judges 20:41

Then the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed, for they saw that disaster was close upon them.