_A.M. 2553. B.C. 1451._ Here is God's encouragement to Joshua, vv1, vv2. Joshua's orders to the men of war, Joshua 8:3. The stratagem succeeds, Joshua 8:9. Joshua takes and destroys the city, Joshua 8:23. The solemn writing and reading of the law before all Israel, Joshua 8:30.... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the Lord said unto Joshua_ Who, it is probable, now consulted God about the progress of the war, which he had omitted to do before, thinking himself, it seems, sufficiently authorised to proceed according to his own judgment, by what God had often said to him, and his success against Jericho. _... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt do to Ai as thou didst unto Jericho_ That is, overcome and destroy the city and people. This was enjoined to chastise their last insolence, and the triumphs and blasphemies which doubtless their success had produced: and to revive the dread and terror which had been impressed upon the Ca... [ Continue Reading ]
_Joshua numbered the people_ Not all the people, which was needless, and would now have required more time than could have been spared, but that part of the army which he designed to take with him. And this, it seems, he did, that it might be evident the conquest of Ai was effected without any loss... [ Continue Reading ]
_He took about five thousand men and set them to lie in ambush _ Here commentators are divided. The learned Bishop Patrick, with many others, (see Le Clerc and Calmet,) has given it as his opinion, that, besides the thirty thousand whom Joshua had sent off before to lie in ambush, (Joshua 8:3,) he n... [ Continue Reading ]
_He and all his people_ That is, the king of Ai and his men of war, for the rest were left in the city, Joshua 8:16. _At a time appointed_ At a certain hour agreed on between the king and people of Ai, and Bethel too, who were confederate with them in this enterprise. Possibly they might appoint the... [ Continue Reading ]
_All Israel made as if they were beaten_ That is, they fled from them, as it were for fear of a second blow. _The wilderness_ Which lay between Ai and Jericho, whither they now seemed to flee. _All the people that were in Ai_ Namely, all that were able to bear arms, for old men and children were unf... [ Continue Reading ]
_Stretch out thy spear_ Probably a long spear, with a flag or streamer at the top of it, for a signal to the liers in wait, as well as for a sign to his host present to stop their flight, and make head against the pursuers, and as a token of God's presence and assistance with them, and of their vict... [ Continue Reading ]
_They entered and set the city on fire_ That is, some part of it, sufficient to raise a smoke, and give notice to their brethren of their success. But certainly not all of it, because in that case they would have lost the prey which God had allowed them. Indeed, it is evident from verse 28, that th... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it_ That is, the inhabitants of it, the men who, through age and infirmity, were unfit for war, and the women, Joshua 8:25. _Twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai_ Not strictly, but largely so called; all who were now in Ai, either as constant and settle... [ Continue Reading ]
_Joshua drew not his hand back_ That is, he continued the battle, and ceased not to fight, spear in hand, till he had utterly routed them. Or, as some think, it means that he kept his hand and spear in the same posture, both stretched out, and lifted up, as a sign to encourage and direct his army to... [ Continue Reading ]
_The king of Ai he hanged on a tree_ He dealt more severely with the kings of Canaan than with the people, because the abominable wickedness of that people was not restrained and punished, (as it ought to have been,) but countenanced and encouraged by their evil examples; and because they were the p... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then Joshua built an altar_ Namely, after the taking of Ai. For they were obliged to do this when they were brought over Jordan into the land of Canaan, Deuteronomy 11:29; Deuteronomy 27:2. But this is not to be understood strictly, as if it were to be done the same day; for it is manifest they wer... [ Continue Reading ]
_Upon the stones_ Not upon the stones of the altar, which, were to be rough and unpolished, (Joshua 8:13,) but upon other stones, smooth and plastered, as is manifest from Deuteronomy 27:2. _A copy of the law of Moses_ Not certainly the whole five books of Moses, for what stones or time would have s... [ Continue Reading ]
_All Israel stood_, &c. That is, the whole congregation, old and young, male and female. _On this side the ark and on that side_ Some on one side of it, and some on the other. _Mount Gerizim and mount Ebal_ These two places were in the tribe of Ephraim, not far from Shechem, as appears from Scriptur... [ Continue Reading ]
_Afterward_ After the altar was built, and the stones plastered and written upon; _he read_ That is, he commanded the priests or Levites to read, Deuteronomy 27:14. _Blessings and cursings _ Which words come in, not by way of explication, as if the words of the law were nothing else besides the bles... [ Continue Reading ]