Joshua 8:1-29. The Capture of Ai 1. _And the Lord said unto Joshua_ The same encouraging address, and one much needed after all that had taken place, is now given as that recorded in Joshua 1:9. The sin of Israel having been removed, the Almighty once more assures Joshua of His presence to give suc... [ Continue Reading ]
_the spoil thereof_ unlike the case of Jericho, is formally conceded to the Israelites. _an ambush_ "Put busshementis to the citye bihynde it," Wyclif. Literally a _weaver_, a lier in wait, from _arab_, to weave = "nectere insidias, struere dolos." _for the city behind it_ High up, probably in THE... [ Continue Reading ]
_Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour_ There is an apparent discrepancy between this statement and that in Joshua 8:10-12. But possibly (_a_) while 30000 were selected for the ambush, 5000 were actually employed when the decisive moment came; or (_b_) Joshua may have sent two distin... [ Continue Reading ]
_go not very far from the city_ They would station themselves high up in the Wâdy Harith, at no great distance from the city, and between it and Bethel.... [ Continue Reading ]
_will approach unto the city_ Joshua himself took up his position on the north side of "the ravine," apparently the deep chasm through which the Wâdy Harith descends to the Wâdy Kelt. Stanley's _Sinai and Palestine_, pp. 202, 203.... [ Continue Reading ]
_See, I have commanded you_ Comp. the words of Jehovah to Joshua, Joshua 1:9, "Have not _I commanded thee_? Be strong, and of a good courage;" and of Absalom to his servants, 2 Samuel 13:28, "Have not I _commanded you_? Be courageous and be valiant.... [ Continue Reading ]
_numbered the people_ Rather, MUSTERED or ARRAYED them. The day after the despatch of the ambush would be naturally occupied with the marshalling of the army, and the march from Gilgal to Ai, where they would arrive in the evening.... [ Continue Reading ]
_he took_ Or rather, HAD TAKEN. _between Beth-el and Ai_ Comp. ch. Joshua 7:2 with Genesis 12:8; Genesis 13:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
_when the king of Ai saw it_ It was early on the following morning that the king of Ai discovered the advance of the army against him. The words apply to the forces of Joshua, the ambush was of course hidden from his view. Ai was a "royal" city. Comp. Joshua 8:23; Joshua 8:29; Joshua 10:1; Joshua 12... [ Continue Reading ]
_or Beth-el_ The inhabitants of Bethel would seem on this occasion to have sent help to the people of Ai in resisting the attack of Joshua.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the spear_ Heb. _Cidôn_, a _dart_, or _javelin_which is hurled, lighter than the _Chanith_, or spear of the largest kind like that of Goliath, 1Sa 17:7; 1 Samuel 17:45, or king Saul, 1 Samuel 26:7-8. The _Cidôn_could easily be held outstretched for some considerable time and was probably furnished... [ Continue Reading ]
_they had no power_ no HAND. Comp. Judges 18:10 (Heb.). _that fled to the wilderness_ See above, Joshua 8:15, and below, Joshua 8:24.... [ Continue Reading ]
_so they were in the midst of Israel_ "The host of Israel now turned again, while those who had set Ai on fire advanced in an opposite direction. Between these two forces the men of Ai were literally crushed.... [ Continue Reading ]
_which he commanded Joshua_ See Joshua 8:2, and comp. Numbers 31:22-26.... [ Continue Reading ]
_a heap_ "an everlasting toumbe," Wyclif. Heb. a "_Tel_," always with the article, _The Tel_, or _Heap_. "For a long time modern explorers in vain sought for the site of Ai, where they knew it must have stood. "The inhabitants of the neighbouring villages," writes Canon Williams, "declared repeatedl... [ Continue Reading ]
_he hanged on a tree_ "He hongid in a gybet," Wyclif. Hanging is mentioned as a distinct punishment, Numbers 25:4. In Deuteronomy 21:22 we read that in certain cases the criminal was put to death, and _after that_, his dead body was hung on a tree till eventide; the king of Ai was probably slain and... [ Continue Reading ]
The Altar of Blessing and of Cursing 30. _Then Joshua built_ The passes being now secured, and the interior of the country rendered accessible, Joshua resolved to take advantage of the terror which the success of his arms had inspired in the hearts of the Canaanites, and to carry out the command of... [ Continue Reading ]
_an altar of whole_(or, "unhewn") _stones_ Thus the Law required in general (Exodus 20:25), and in this case it had been specially ordained.... [ Continue Reading ]
_a copy of the law_ "Short declaracioun of the lawe of Moyses," Wyclif. This has been variously interpreted as meaning (_a_) the whole Law; (_b_) the Decalogue; (_c_) the Book of Deuteronomy; (_d_) the "commandments" proper, the "statutes" and "rights" contained in the Pentateuch, "six hundred and t... [ Continue Reading ]
_as well the stranger_ See Deuteronomy 31:12. _half of them over against mount Gerizim_ viz., those which had sprung from the lawful wives of Jacob, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, Benjamin (Deuteronomy 27:12). _and half of them over against mount Ebal_ viz., Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Da... [ Continue Reading ]
_the blessings and cursings_ "The twelve curses are directed against idolatry (Deuteronomy 27:15), contempt of parents (Deuteronomy 27:16), removing a neighbour's land-mark (Deuteronomy 27:17), inhumanity towards the blind, strangers, orphans, widows (Deuteronomy 27:18-19), incest and unnatural crim... [ Continue Reading ]
_There was not a word_ The acoustic properties of the valley between Ebal and Gerizim are interesting, the more so that several times they are incidentally brought before us. Comp. with this passage Judges 9:7, "And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the _top of mount Gerizim, and lif... [ Continue Reading ]