(KJV) Joshua 81

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⥃The Conquest of Ai

[1] And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear not2, neither be thou dismayed: take all3 the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have4 given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land: [2] And thou shalt do to Ai5 and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil6 thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee7 an ambush for the city behind it.

[3] So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by night8. [4] And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait9 against the city, [even] behind the city: go not10 very far from the city, but be ye all ready: [5] And I, and all the people that [are] with me, will approach unto the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at11 the first, that we will12 flee before them, [6] (For they will come out after us) till we have drawn13 them from the city; for they will say, They flee14 before us, as at the first: therefore we will flee before them. [7] Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the Lord15 your God will deliver it into your hand. [8] And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, [that] ye shall set the city16 on fire: according to the commandment of the Lord shall ye do. See, I have17 commanded you.

[9] [¶]Joshua therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in ambush, and abode between18 Beth–el and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged19 that night among the people. [10] And Joshua rose up20 early in the morning, and numbered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai. [11] And all the people, [even the people] of war that [were] with him, went up, and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai: now [there was] a valley between them and Ai.21 [12] And he took about five thousand22 men, and set them to lie in ambush between Beth–el and Ai, on the west side of the city23. [13] And when they had set the people, [even] all the host that [was] on the north of the city, and their liers in wait24 on the west25 of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.

[14] [¶]And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw [it26], that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain; but he wist not27 that [there were] liers in ambush against him behind the city. [15] And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way28 of the wilderness. [16] And all the people that [were] in Ai were called together29 to pursue after them: and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away30 from the city. [17] And there was not a man31 left in Ai or Beth–el32, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel. [18] And the Lord said unto Joshua, Stretch33 out the spear34 that [is] in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that [he had] in his hand toward the city. [19] And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the city, and took it, and hasted and set the city on fire.35 [20] And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke36 of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had37 no power38 to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers. [21] And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again, and slew the men of Ai. [22] And the other issued out of the city against them; so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side: and they smote them, so that they let none39 of them remain or escape. [23] And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.40 [24] And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai41, and smote it with the edge of the sword. [25] And [so] it was, [that] all that fell that day, both of men and women, [were] twelve thousand, [even] all the men of Ai. [26] For Joshua42 drew not43 his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. [27] Only the cattle44 and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto themselves, according unto the word of the Lord which he commanded45 Joshua. [28] And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap46 for ever, [even] a desolation unto this day47. [29] And the king48 of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon49 as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap50 of stones, [that remaineth] unto this day.

⥃Joshua Renews the Covenant [ Deuteronomy 27:1–10 ]

[30] Then Joshua built an altar51 unto the Lord God of Israel in mount Ebal52, [31] As Moses the servant of the Lord commanded the children of Israel, as it is53 written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar54 of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up [any] iron: and they offered55 thereon burnt offerings unto the Lord, and sacrificed peace offerings.

[32] [¶]And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.56 [33] And all Israel57, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests58 the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, as well the stranger59, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses60 the servant of the Lord had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel. [34] And afterward he read61 all the words of the law, the blessings62 and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law. [35] There was not63 a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women64, and the little ones, and the strangers65 that were66 conversant67 among them.

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  1. Josh 8:1, God encourages Joshua; Josh 8:3, The stratagem whereby Ai was taken; Josh 8:29, The king thereof is hanged; Josh 8:30, Joshua builds an altar; Josh 8:32, writes the law on stones; Josh 8:33, and pronounces the blessings and curses. ↩

  2. Josh 1:9, Josh 7:6-7, Josh 7:9; Deut 1:21, Deut 7:18, Deut 31:8; Ps 27:1, Ps 46:11; Isa 12:2, Isa 41:10-16; Isa 43:2; Jer 46:27; Matt 8:26 ↩

  3. It would seem, from this verse, that all that were capable of bearing arms were to march out of the camp on this occasion: 30,000 formed an ambuscade in one place; and 5,000 were placed in another, who all gained their positions in the night. With the rest of the army, Joshua appeared the next morning before Ai, which the men of that city would naturally suppose was the whole of the Israelitish force and, consequently, be the more emboldened to come out and attack them. Some, however, think that 30,000 men were the whole that were employed on this occasion, 5,000 of whom were placed in ambush on the west of the city, between Beth–el and Ai (Josh 8:12), and, with the rest, Joshua appeared before the city in the morning. The king, seeing but about 25,000 coming against him, though he had but 12,000 persons in the whole city (Josh 8:25), determined to risk a battle, issued out, and was defeated by stratagem. ↩

  4. Josh 6:2; Ps 44:3; Dan 2:21, Dan 2:37-38, Dan 4:25, Dan 4:35 ↩

  5. Josh 8:24, Josh 8:28-29. See note on Josh 6:21, see note on Josh 10:1, see note on Josh 10:28, and see note on Deut 3:2. ↩

  6. Josh 8:27; Deut 20:14; Job 27:16-17; Ps 39:6; Prov 13:22, Prov 28:20; Jer 17:11; Luke 12:20-21 ↩

  7. Josh 8:7, Josh 8:9, Josh 8:12, Josh 8:14, Josh 8:19; Judg 20:29-33; 2Chr 13:13, 2Chr 20:22; Jer 51:12 ↩

  8. Matt 24:39, Matt 24:50, Matt 25:6; 1Thess 5:2; 2Pet 3:10 ↩

  9. Josh 8:16; Judg 9:25, Judg 20:29, Judg 20:33, Judg 20:36; 1Sam 15:2, 1Sam 15:5; Acts 23:21 ↩

  10. Eccl 7:19, Eccl 9:16 ↩

  11. Josh 7:5 ↩

  12. Judg 20:31-33; Matt 10:16 ↩

  13. Heb. pulled, Josh 8:16 ↩

  14. Exod 14:3, Exod 15:9; Judg 20:32; Eccl 8:11, Eccl 9:12 ↩

  15. Josh 8:1; 2Kgs 5:1; Prov 21:30-31 ↩

  16. Josh 8:28, Josh 6:24 ↩

  17. Josh 1:9, Josh 1:16; Judg 4:6; 2Sam 13:28 ↩

  18. Josh 8:12, Josh 7:2; Gen 12:8, Hai, Ezra 2:28; Neh 7:32 ↩

  19. Gen 32:21 ↩

  20. Josh 3:1, Josh 6:12, Josh 7:16; Ps 119:60 ↩

  21. Josh 8:1-5 ↩

  22. Josh 8:2-3 ↩

  23. or, of Ai ↩

  24. Heb. lying in wait, Josh 8:4 ↩

  25. Josh 8:8, Josh 8:12 ↩

  26. Josh 8:5, Josh 8:16 ↩

  27. Judg 20:34-36; Eccl 9:12; Isa 19:11, Isa 19:13; Dan 4:31; Matt 24:39, Matt 24:50; 1Thess 5:1-3; 2Pet 2:3 ↩

  28. Josh 18:12 ↩

  29. Judg 20:36-39 ↩

  30. Josh 8:5-6; Judg 20:31; Ps 9:16; Ezek 38:11-22; Rev 16:14, Rev 19:19-21 ↩

  31. Josh 8:3, Josh 8:24-25, Josh 11:20; Deut 2:30; Job 5:13; Isa 19:11-13 ↩

  32. Beth–el is not mentioned in the Greek version, and some, with Houbigant and Pilkington, think it was not originally in the Hebrew; because, had the men of Beth–el pursued, as well as those of Ai, it would have been said that they left the cities, and not the city, open. The principal strength of Beth–el might have been previously taken into Ai, as the strongest place to make a stand in; Beth–el being but about three miles westward from Ai. ↩

  33. Josh 8:7, Josh 8:26; Exod 8:5, Exod 17:11; Job 15:25 ↩

  34. The word keedon is rendered clypeum, a shield or buckler, by the Vulgate but the LXX translate it γαισον, which Suidas says, signifies a kind of weapon, οιον δορατος, like a spear. It may denote a short spear, javelin, or lance; for it is evident that it signifies neither the larger spear nor the shield, because it is distinguished from both. 1Sam 17:6, 1Sam 17:41, 1Sam 17:45; Job 39:23; Joshua may have had a flag or ensign at the end of the spear, which might be seen at a considerable distance when extended, which was the sign agreed upon by him and the ambush. ↩

  35. Josh 8:6-8 ↩

  36. Gen 19:28; Isa 34:10; Rev 18:9, Rev 19:3 ↩

  37. Job 11:20; Ps 48:5-6, Ps 76:5; Amos 2:14-16; Rev 6:15-17 ↩

  38. Heb. hand ↩

  39. Josh 6:21, Josh 10:28, Josh 11:11-12; Deut 7:2; Job 20:5; Luke 17:26-30; 1Thess 5:3 ↩

  40. Josh 8:29, Josh 10:17; 1Sam 15:8; Rev 19:20 ↩

  41. This must refer to the women, children, and old persons left behind; for it seems that all the effective men had sallied out when they imagined the Israelites had fled (Josh 8:16). Josh 10:30-41, Josh 11:10-14; Num 21:24 ↩

  42. Joshua seems to have been not only the general but the standard-bearer of the army (Josh 8:18), and continued in this employment, by holding up or extending his spear, during the whole of the battle; and did not slacken from the pursuit till the forces of Ai were utterly discomfited. Some commentators, however, understand this action in a figurative sense, like the holding up of Moses' hands, as if it implied that Joshua continued in prayer for the success of his troops, nor ceased till the armies of Ai were annihilated, and the city taken and destroyed. ↩

  43. Josh 8:18; Exod 17:11-12 ↩

  44. Josh 8:2, Josh 11:4; Num 31:22, Num 31:26; Ps 50:10; Matt 20:15 ↩

  45. Josh 8:2 ↩

  46. Deut 13:16; 2Kgs 19:25; Isa 17:1, Isa 25:2; Jer 9:11, Jer 49:2, Jer 50:26; Mic 3:12 ↩

  47. Josh 4:9 ↩

  48. The kings of Canaan lay under the same curse as their subjects and probably were more deeply criminal. The reserving of the king of Ai for a solemn execution, would tend to strike terror into the other kings, contribute to the success of Israel, and give their proceedings the stamp of a judicial process, and of executing the vengeance of God upon his enemies. Josh 10:26-28, Josh 10:30, Josh 10:33; Deut 21:22-23; Esth 7:10; Ps 107:40, Ps 110:5; Acts 12:23; Rev 19:17-18 ↩

  49. Josh 10:27 ↩

  50. Josh 7:26; 2Sam 18:17 ↩

  51. Gen 8:20, Gen 12:7-8 ↩

  52. Moses himself had twice given express orders for this solemnity; once Deut 11:29-30, in which he pointed out the very place where it was to be performed; and again, at the Deut 27:1, there is a renewal of the instructions to Joshua, with special reference to minute particulars. It was a federal transaction. The covenant was now renewed between God and Israel upon their taking possession of the land of promise, that they might be encouraged in the conquest of it, and might know upon what terms they held it, and come under fresh obligations to obedience. Josh 8:33 ↩

  53. Josh 8:34-35, Josh 1:8; 2Kgs 14:6, 2Kgs 22:8; 2Chr 25:4, 2Chr 35:12; Ezra 6:18; Neh 13:1; Matt 12:26 ↩

  54. Exod 20:24-25; Deut 27:5-6; 1Kgs 18:31-32 ↩

  55. Exod 18:12, Exod 24:5; Deut 27:6-7 ↩

  56. Deut 27:2-3, Deut 27:8 ↩

  57. Josh 23:2, Josh 24:1; Deut 27:12-13, Deut 29:10-11 ↩

  58. Josh 3:3, Josh 3:6, Josh 3:14, Josh 4:10, Josh 4:18, Josh 6:6; Deut 31:9, Deut 31:25; 1Chr 15:11-15 ↩

  59. Exod 12:49; Lev 24:22; Num 15:16, Num 15:29; Deut 31:12 ↩

  60. Josh 8:30-32; Deut 11:29, Deut 27:12 ↩

  61. Deut 31:10-12; Neh 8:2-3, Neh 9:3, Neh 13:1 ↩

  62. Lev 26:1-46; Deut 27:14-26, Deut 28:1-68, Deut 29:20-21, Deut 30:15-20 ↩

  63. Deut 4:2; Jer 26:2; Acts 20:27 ↩

  64. Deut 29:11, Deut 31:12; Ezra 10:1; Neh 8:2; Joel 2:16; Mark 10:14; Acts 21:5 ↩

  65. Josh 8:33 ↩

  66. Heb. walked ↩

  67. The word conversant, from the Latin conversor, is here used in the classical sense of having intercourse with. ↩