35 Bible Verses about Ambush
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And Jehovah said to Joshua, Do not fear, nor be dismayed. Take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land. And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king. Only its spoil and its cattle you shall take for a prize for yourselves. Lay an ambush for the city behind it. So Joshua and all the people of war arose to go up against Ai. And Joshua chose out thirty thousand men, mighty warriors, and sent them away by night.read more.
And he commanded them, saying, Behold, you will be an ambush against the city, behind the city. You shall not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready. And I, and all the people with me, shall go toward the city. And it shall be, when they come out against us, as at the first, we will flee before them, (for they will come out after us) until we have drawn them out of the city. For they will say, They flee before us, even as at the first. And we will flee before them. Then you shall rise up from the ambush, and seize on the city; for Jehovah your God will deliver it into your hand. And it shall be, when you have taken the city, you shall set the city on fire, according to the command of Jehovah you shall do. See, I have commanded you. And Joshua sent them out. And they went to lie in ambush, and stayed between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai. But Joshua stayed that night among the people. And Joshua rose up early in the morning and called up the people. And they went up, he and the elders of Israel, in the sight of the people of Ai. And all the people of war with him went up and drew near. And they came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai. And a valley was between them and Ai. And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city. And when they had set the people, all the army that was on the north of the city, and its rear ambush on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the middle of the valley. And it happened, when the king of Ai saw, they hurried and rose up early. And the men of the city went out to do battle against Israel, he and all his people, at the time appointed, before the plain. But he did not know that there were some lying in ambush against him behind the city. And Joshua and all Israel acted as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness. And all the people in Ai were called together to run after them. And they ran after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city. And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, who did not go after Israel. And they left the city open, and ran after Israel. And Jehovah said to Joshua, Stretch out the spear in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear in his hand toward the city. And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand. And they entered into the city, and took it, and hurried and set the city on fire. And the men of Ai looked behind them and saw. And, behold, the smoke of the city went up into the sky, and they had no power to flee this way or that way. And the people who fled to the wilderness turned back against the pursuers. 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 again and killed the men of Ai. And the others came out of the city against them. So they were in the middle of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side. And they struck them so that they let none of them remain or escape. And they took the king of Ai, and brought him alive to Joshua. And it happened, when Israel had made an end of killing all those who lived in Ai, in the field and in the wilderness where they chased them, and when they had all fallen on the edge of the sword until they were gone, all the Israelites returned to Ai and struck it with the edge of the sword.
And he sent messengers to Abimelech secretly, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem. And behold, they fortify the city against you. And now come up by night, you and the people with you, and lie in wait in the field. And it shall be in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, it shall be that you shall rise early and set upon the city. And behold, when he and the people who are with him come out against you, you may do to them as you desire.read more.
And Abimelech rose up by night, and all the people with him, and they lay in wait against Shechem in four companies. And Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city. And Abimelech rose up, and the people with him, from lying in wait. And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, people are coming down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said to him, You are seeing the shadow of the mountains like men. And Gaal spoke again and said, See, people are coming by the middle of the land, and another company coming along by way of the Sorcerers' Oak. And Zebul said to him, Where is your mouth now, with which you said, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? Is not this the people whom you have despised? I pray you, go out now and fight with them. And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded, to the entrance of the gate.
And Israel set ambushers all around Gibeah. And the sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in order against Gibeah, as at other times. And the sons of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city. And they began to strike some of the people and to kill, as at other times, in the highways, one of which goes up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.read more.
And the sons of Benjamin said, They are beaten before us as at the first. But the sons of Israel said, Let us flee and draw them from the city to the highways. And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place and marshalled at Baal-tamar. And the ambush of Israel broke forth from their place, from the plains of Gibeah. And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was heavy. But they did not know that evil was near them. And Jehovah struck Benjamin before Israel. And the sons of Israel destroyed in Benjamin twenty-five thousand and a hundred men that day. All these drew the sword. So the sons of Benjamin saw that they were beaten. For the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin because they trusted to the ambush which they had set against Gibeah. And the ambush hurried and rushed against Gibeah. And the ambush marched and struck all the city with the edge of the sword. And a sign was set between the men of Israel and the ambush, to cause to go up a great smoke rising up from the city. And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to strike and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons. For they said, Surely they are stricken down before us as in the first battle. And the rising of a pillar of smoke began to go up out of the city. And Benjamin turned behind them, and behold, the whole city had gone up toward the heavens. And the men of Israel turned again, and the men of Benjamin were amazed. For they saw that evil had touched them. And they turned before the men of Israel, to the way of the wilderness. But the battle overtook them. And those who came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them. They encircled Benjamin and they chased them without rest, and trod them down until they were against Gibeah toward the sunrise. And there fell from Benjamin eighteen thousand. All these were men of war. And they turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon. And they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men, and pursued hard after them to Gidom and killed two thousand men of them. So that all who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty-five thousand men who drew the sword. All of these were men of war. But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness, to the rock Rimmon, and they stayed in the rock Rimmon four months. And the sons of Israel turned again to the sons of Benjamin and struck them with the edge of the sword, from the entire city to livestock, to all that was found. Also they set on fire all the cities that they came to.
And David inquired of Jehovah, and He said, You shall not go up, but go around behind them and come upon them over across from the weeping trees. And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the weeping trees, then you shall strike. For then Jehovah shall go out before you to strike the army of the Philistines. And David did so, as Jehovah had commanded him. And he struck the Philistines from Geba until you come to Gezer.
So Joshua and all the people of war arose to go up against Ai. And Joshua chose out thirty thousand men, mighty warriors, and sent them away by night. And he commanded them, saying, Behold, you will be an ambush against the city, behind the city. You shall not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready. And I, and all the people with me, shall go toward the city. And it shall be, when they come out against us, as at the first, we will flee before them,read more.
(for they will come out after us) until we have drawn them out of the city. For they will say, They flee before us, even as at the first. And we will flee before them. Then you shall rise up from the ambush, and seize on the city; for Jehovah your God will deliver it into your hand. And it shall be, when you have taken the city, you shall set the city on fire, according to the command of Jehovah you shall do. See, I have commanded you. And Joshua sent them out. And they went to lie in ambush, and stayed between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai. But Joshua stayed that night among the people. And Joshua rose up early in the morning and called up the people. And they went up, he and the elders of Israel, in the sight of the people of Ai. And all the people of war with him went up and drew near. And they came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai. And a valley was between them and Ai. And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city. And when they had set the people, all the army that was on the north of the city, and its rear ambush on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the middle of the valley. And it happened, when the king of Ai saw, they hurried and rose up early. And the men of the city went out to do battle against Israel, he and all his people, at the time appointed, before the plain. But he did not know that there were some lying in ambush against him behind the city. And Joshua and all Israel acted as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness. And all the people in Ai were called together to run after them. And they ran after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city. And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, who did not go after Israel. And they left the city open, and ran after Israel.
And the men of Shechem set men lying in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that passed by. And it was told to Abimelech.
And Abner returned to Hebron. And Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately. And he struck him there in the belly, and he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.
And the Philistines came up again and spread themselves in the Valley of the Giants. And David inquired of Jehovah, and He said, You shall not go up, but go around behind them and come upon them over across from the weeping trees. And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the weeping trees, then you shall strike. For then Jehovah shall go out before you to strike the army of the Philistines.read more.
And David did so, as Jehovah had commanded him. And he struck the Philistines from Geba until you come to Gezer.
They stir up strife; they hide themselves; they watch my steps as they wait for my soul.
For among My people are found wicked ones; they lie in wait, as one who sets snares; they set a trap, they catch men.
Do not go out into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and fear are on every side.
And it happened the second day after he had killed Gedaliah (and no one knew it), some men from Shechem came from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even eighty men, with their beards shaved, and their clothes torn, and having cut themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of Jehovah. And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he walked. And it happened as he met them, he said to them, Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam.read more.
And it happened when they came into the middle of the city, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah killed them, he and the men with him, and they threw them into the middle of the pit.
If they say, Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, we will watch secretly for the innocent without cause;
And if a man does not lie in wait, but God delivers him into his hand, then I will appoint you a place where he shall flee.
The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood; but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.
She also lies in wait as for prey, and increases the treacherous among men.
Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the heavens; they pursued us on the mountains, they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.
Wicked one, do not lie in ambush at the dwelling of the righteous; do not spoil his resting place;
And hearing of the ambush, Paul's sister's son, having come near, and entering into the fortress, he reported to Paul.
And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king. Only its spoil and its cattle you shall take for a prize for yourselves. Lay an ambush for the city behind it. So Joshua and all the people of war arose to go up against Ai. And Joshua chose out thirty thousand men, mighty warriors, and sent them away by night. And he commanded them, saying, Behold, you will be an ambush against the city, behind the city. You shall not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready.read more.
And I, and all the people with me, shall go toward the city. And it shall be, when they come out against us, as at the first, we will flee before them, (for they will come out after us) until we have drawn them out of the city. For they will say, They flee before us, even as at the first. And we will flee before them. Then you shall rise up from the ambush, and seize on the city; for Jehovah your God will deliver it into your hand. And it shall be, when you have taken the city, you shall set the city on fire, according to the command of Jehovah you shall do. See, I have commanded you. And Joshua sent them out. And they went to lie in ambush, and stayed between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai. But Joshua stayed that night among the people.
And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city. And when they had set the people, all the army that was on the north of the city, and its rear ambush on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the middle of the valley. And it happened, when the king of Ai saw, they hurried and rose up early. And the men of the city went out to do battle against Israel, he and all his people, at the time appointed, before the plain. But he did not know that there were some lying in ambush against him behind the city.read more.
And Joshua and all Israel acted as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness. And all the people in Ai were called together to run after them. And they ran after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city. And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, who did not go after Israel. And they left the city open, and ran after Israel. And Jehovah said to Joshua, Stretch out the spear in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear in his hand toward the city. And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand. And they entered into the city, and took it, and hurried and set the city on fire. And the men of Ai looked behind them and saw. And, behold, the smoke of the city went up into the sky, and they had no power to flee this way or that way. And the people who fled to the wilderness turned back against the pursuers. 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 again and killed the men of Ai.
And he took the people and divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the field. And they looked, and behold, the people came forth out of the city. And he rose up against them, and struck them.
And Israel set ambushers all around Gibeah. And the sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in order against Gibeah, as at other times. And the sons of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city. And they began to strike some of the people and to kill, as at other times, in the highways, one of which goes up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.read more.
And the sons of Benjamin said, They are beaten before us as at the first. But the sons of Israel said, Let us flee and draw them from the city to the highways. And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place and marshalled at Baal-tamar. And the ambush of Israel broke forth from their place, from the plains of Gibeah. And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was heavy. But they did not know that evil was near them. And Jehovah struck Benjamin before Israel. And the sons of Israel destroyed in Benjamin twenty-five thousand and a hundred men that day. All these drew the sword. So the sons of Benjamin saw that they were beaten. For the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin because they trusted to the ambush which they had set against Gibeah. And the ambush hurried and rushed against Gibeah. And the ambush marched and struck all the city with the edge of the sword. And a sign was set between the men of Israel and the ambush, to cause to go up a great smoke rising up from the city.
For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul; the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Jehovah.
Set up the banner on the walls of Babylon; make the watch strong; set up the watchmen; prepare the ambushes. For Jehovah has both planned and done that which He spoke against the people of Babylon.
The Gazites were told, saying, Samson has come here. And they surrounded him and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, Until the light of the morning, then we shall kill him.
And the ambush was sitting for her in the inner room. And she said to him, The Philistines are upon you, Samson! And he broke the cords like a thread of tow when it smells fire. And his strength was not known.
And Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them, and said to him, The Philistines are upon you, Samson! And the ambush was sitting for her in the inner room. And he broke them from off his arms like a thread.
But all of you have conspired against me, and none of you was revealing in my ear when my son cut a covenant with the son of Jesse? And not one of you is sorry for me, even to reveal in my ear that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as today.
And Saul said to him, Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread and a sword, and have asked of God for him, that he should rise against me to lie in wait, as at this day?
But do not yield to them, for there are more than forty men of them lying in wait for him, who have bound themselves with an oath that they will neither eat nor drink until they have killed him. And now they are ready, looking for a promise from you.
asking a favor against him that he would send for him to Jerusalem, making a plot to kill him on way.
And they lie in wait for their own blood; they watch secretly for their own lives.
From Thematic Bible
Ambush » Instances of » At gibeah
And Israel set ambushers all around Gibeah. And the sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in order against Gibeah, as at other times. And the sons of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city. And they began to strike some of the people and to kill, as at other times, in the highways, one of which goes up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel. read more.
And the sons of Benjamin said, They are beaten before us as at the first. But the sons of Israel said, Let us flee and draw them from the city to the highways. And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place and marshalled at Baal-tamar. And the ambush of Israel broke forth from their place, from the plains of Gibeah. And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was heavy. But they did not know that evil was near them. And Jehovah struck Benjamin before Israel. And the sons of Israel destroyed in Benjamin twenty-five thousand and a hundred men that day. All these drew the sword. So the sons of Benjamin saw that they were beaten. For the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin because they trusted to the ambush which they had set against Gibeah. And the ambush hurried and rushed against Gibeah. And the ambush marched and struck all the city with the edge of the sword. And a sign was set between the men of Israel and the ambush, to cause to go up a great smoke rising up from the city. And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to strike and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons. For they said, Surely they are stricken down before us as in the first battle. And the rising of a pillar of smoke began to go up out of the city. And Benjamin turned behind them, and behold, the whole city had gone up toward the heavens. And the men of Israel turned again, and the men of Benjamin were amazed. For they saw that evil had touched them.
Ambush » Instances of » At shechem
And the men of Shechem set men lying in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that passed by. And it was told to Abimelech.
And Abimelech rose up by night, and all the people with him, and they lay in wait against Shechem in four companies.
Ambush » Instances of » At ai
And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king. Only its spoil and its cattle you shall take for a prize for yourselves. Lay an ambush for the city behind it. So Joshua and all the people of war arose to go up against Ai. And Joshua chose out thirty thousand men, mighty warriors, and sent them away by night. And he commanded them, saying, Behold, you will be an ambush against the city, behind the city. You shall not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready. read more.
And I, and all the people with me, shall go toward the city. And it shall be, when they come out against us, as at the first, we will flee before them, (for they will come out after us) until we have drawn them out of the city. For they will say, They flee before us, even as at the first. And we will flee before them. Then you shall rise up from the ambush, and seize on the city; for Jehovah your God will deliver it into your hand. And it shall be, when you have taken the city, you shall set the city on fire, according to the command of Jehovah you shall do. See, I have commanded you. And Joshua sent them out. And they went to lie in ambush, and stayed between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai. But Joshua stayed that night among the people. And Joshua rose up early in the morning and called up the people. And they went up, he and the elders of Israel, in the sight of the people of Ai. And all the people of war with him went up and drew near. And they came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai. And a valley was between them and Ai. And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city. And when they had set the people, all the army that was on the north of the city, and its rear ambush on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the middle of the valley. And it happened, when the king of Ai saw, they hurried and rose up early. And the men of the city went out to do battle against Israel, he and all his people, at the time appointed, before the plain. But he did not know that there were some lying in ambush against him behind the city. And Joshua and all Israel acted as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness. And all the people in Ai were called together to run after them. And they ran after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city. And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, who did not go after Israel. And they left the city open, and ran after Israel. And Jehovah said to Joshua, Stretch out the spear in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear in his hand toward the city. And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand. And they entered into the city, and took it, and hurried and set the city on fire. And the men of Ai looked behind them and saw. And, behold, the smoke of the city went up into the sky, and they had no power to flee this way or that way. And the people who fled to the wilderness turned back against the pursuers. 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 again and killed the men of Ai. And the others came out of the city against them. So they were in the middle of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side. And they struck them so that they let none of them remain or escape.
Ambush » Instances of » Near zemaraim
But Jeroboam caused an ambush to come around behind them, so that they were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them.
Ambush » Instances of » By jehoshaphat
And when they began to sing and to praise, Jehovah set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, who had come against Judah. And they were beaten.
Ambush » Figurative
Set up the banner on the walls of Babylon; make the watch strong; set up the watchmen; prepare the ambushes. For Jehovah has both planned and done that which He spoke against the people of Babylon.