And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.
Not a single man stayed behind in Ai or Bethel, every one of them went out to chase after Israel. They left their city completely undefended and went after the Israelites.
The writer is describing how all the enemy soldiers abandoned their cities to chase Israel, leaving their homes completely unprotected.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative, the Israelites were conquering the Promised Land under Joshua's leadership after their earlier defeat at Ai, which was caused by sin in the camp. God then provided a strategic plan for them to lure the enemy out, pretending to flee in order to draw all the men from Ai and nearby Bethel away from their defenses. This left the city vulnerable, allowing the Israelites to execute their ambush as described in the verse.
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