And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue after them: and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city.
God Himself appointed this stratagem, so it was lawful and good. No league was broken, no truth told, they concealed only their own counsel, which no enemy has a right to know. The Canaanites ought to have kept their guard and not left their city for a phantom pursuit; if they will be deceived, let them be.
AI summary
Commenting on Joshua 8:3-22
And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue after them,.... Because the host of Israel was very numerous, it was judged proper that all the people in Ai should assist in pursuing them, not only to kill the more in the pursuit, but to carry off the spoil and prisoners they should take; or rather the sense is, that all...
Jos 8:14-23 When the king of Ai saw the Israelites, he hurried out in the morning against them to battle at the (previously) appointed place (למּועד, in locum condictum, as in 1Sa 20:35) before the steppe (Arabah, not the valley of the Jordan, but the steppe or desert of Bethaven; see at Jos 7:2), as he knew nothing of the ambuscade behind the town.
Commenting on Joshua 8:14-23