Joshua 8
Overview
8:1 God encourages Joshua;
8:3 The stratagem whereby Ai was taken;
8:29 The king thereof is hanged;
8:30 Joshua builds an altar;
8:32 writes the law on stones;
8:33 and pronounces the blessings and curses. Verse 1 Fear not Joshua 1:9, 7:6, 7:7, 7:9; Deuteronomy 1:21, 7:18, 31:8; Psalm 27:1, 46:11; Isaiah 12:2, 41:10-16; 43:2; Jeremiah 46:27; Matthew 8:26 take allIt 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 Bethel and Ai - Joshua 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 - 8:25
determined to risk a battle, issued out, and was defeated by stratagem.I have 6:2; Psalm 44:3; Daniel 2:21, 2:37, 2:38, 4:25, 4:35 Reciprocal Joshua 8:7 - for the Lord; 8:11 - General; 9:3 - Jericho; 10:8 - General; 12:9 - Ai; 1 Kings 8:44 - whithersoever; 2 Chronicles 6:34 - by the way; Ecclesiastes 3:8 - a time of war; Haggai 2:5 - fear Verse 2 do to Ai Joshua 8:24, 8:28, 8:29. See note on 6:21, see note on 10:1, see note on 10:28, and see note on Deuteronomy 3:2. only the spoil Joshua 8:27; Deuteronomy 20:14; Job 27:16, 27:17; Psalm 39:6; Proverbs 13:22, 28:20; Jeremiah 17:11; Luke 12:20, 12:21 lay thee Joshua 8:7, 8:9, 8:12, 8:14, 8:19; Judges 20:29-33; 2 Chronicles 13:13, 20:22; Jeremiah 51:12 Reciprocal Numbers 31:11 - General; Joshua 10:29 - Libnah; 10:40 - as the Lord; 2 Samuel 5:23 - fetch; 15:34 - return; 1 Kings 8:44 - whithersoever; 1 Chronicles 14:14 - turn away Verse 3 by night Matthew 24:39, 24:50, 25:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Peter 3:10 Reciprocal Genesis 12:8 - Hai; Joshua 8:12 - five thousand; 8:17 - a man Verse 4 lie in wait Joshua 8:16; Judges 9:25, 20:29, 20:33, 20:36; 1 Samuel 15:2, 15:5; Acts 23:21 go not Ecclesiastes 7:19, 9:16 Reciprocal Joshua 8:13 - liers in wait; 2 Chronicles 13:13 - an ambushment Verse 5 as at Joshua 7:5 that we will Judges 20:31-33; Matthew 10:16 Reciprocal Joshua 8:14 - Ai saw it; 8:16 - drawn away Verse 6 drawnHeb. pulled, Joshua 8:16 They flee Exodus 14:3, 15:9; Judges 20:32; Ecclesiastes 8:11, 9:12 Reciprocal Joshua 8:19 - General; 2 Samuel 17:9 - some Verse 7 for the Lord Joshua 8:1; 2 Kings 5:1; Proverbs 21:30, 21:31 Reciprocal Exodus 23:31 - deliver the; Numbers 21:34 - for I have; Joshua 8:2 - lay thee; 8:18 - Stretch; Judges 4:7 - deliver; 1 Samuel 23:4 - for I will; 2 Samuel 5:23 - fetch Verse 8 set the city Joshua 8:28, 6:24 I have 1:9, 1:16; Judges 4:6; 2 Samuel 13:28 Reciprocal Joshua 8:13 - on the west; 11:12 - as Moses Verse 9 between Joshua 8:12, 7:2; Genesis 12:8, Hai, Ezra 2:28; Nehemiah 7:32 lodged Genesis 32:21 Reciprocal Joshua 8:2 - lay thee; Nehemiah 11:31 - Aija Verse 10 rose up Joshua 3:1, 6:12, 7:16; Psalm 119:60 Reciprocal 2 Samuel 18:1 - numbered Verse 11 Joshua 8:1-5
Verse 12 five thousand Joshua 8:2, 8:3 of the cityor, of AiReciprocal 8:1 - take all; 8:9 - between; 8:13 - on the west; Judges 9:25 - General Verse 13 liers in waitHeb. lying in wait, Joshua 8:4 on the west 8:8, 8:12 Reciprocal Judges 9:25 - General Verse 14 Ai saw it Joshua 8:5, 8:16 he wist not Judges 20:34-36; Ecclesiastes 9:12; Isaiah 19:11, 19:13; Daniel 4:31; Matthew 24:39, 24:50; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3; 2 Peter 2:3 Reciprocal Exodus 34:29 - wist; Joshua 8:2 - lay thee; Judges 20:31 - drawn; Jeremiah 51:12 - ambushes Verse 15 by the way Joshua 18:12 Reciprocal 16:1 - the water; Judges 20:32 - Let us flee; 20:36 - for the men Verse 16 called together Judges 20:36-39 drawn away Joshua 8:5, 8:6; Judges 20:31; Psalm 9:16; Ezekiel 38:11-22; Revelation 16:14, 19:19-21 Reciprocal Joshua 8:4 - lie in wait; 8:14 - Ai saw it; 8:24 - returned unto Ai; Judges 20:32 - Let us flee Verse 17 a man Joshua 8:3, 8:24, 8:25, 11:20; Deuteronomy 2:30; Job 5:13; Isaiah 19:11-13 BethelBethel 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 Bethel 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 Bethel might have been previously taken into Ai, as the strongest place to make a stand in; Bethel being but about three miles westward from Ai.Reciprocal Genesis 12:8 - of Bethel; Joshua 12:9 - Ai; 12:16 - Bethel; Ezra 2:28 - Ai; Nehemiah 7:32 - Bethel Verse 18 Stretch Joshua 8:7, 8:26; Exodus 8:5, 17:11; Job 15:25 the spearThe 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. 1 Samuel 17:6, 17:41, 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.Reciprocal Exodus 23:31 - deliver the; Judges 20:33 - rose up Verse 19 Joshua 8:6-8 Reciprocal 8:2 - lay thee; Judges 20:37 - the liers in wait hasted Verse 20 the smoke Genesis 19:28; Isaiah 34:10; Revelation 18:9, 19:3 and they had Job 11:20; Psalm 48:5, 48:6, 76:5; Amos 2:14-16; Revelation 6:15-17 powerHeb. handReciprocal Judges 20:40 - looked; 20:43 - enclosed; 1 Samuel 13:6 - in a strait; 2 Kings 3:24 - smote the; 2 Chronicles 13:14 - looked back; Daniel 8:7 - and there was no; Joel 2:30 - pillars; 1 Thessalonians 5:3 - then Verse 21 Reciprocal 2 Samuel 10:9 - General Verse 22 let none Joshua 6:21, 10:28, 11:11, 11:12; Deuteronomy 7:2; Job 20:5; Luke 17:26-30; 1 Thessalonians 5:3 Reciprocal Deuteronomy 28:7 - flee before; Joshua 10:1 - as he had; 2 Samuel 10:9 - General; 1 Chronicles 19:10 - set against Verse 23 Joshua 8:29, 10:17; 1 Samuel 15:8; Revelation 19:20
Verse 24 returned unto AiThis 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 - Joshua 8:16. 10:30-41, 11:10-14; Numbers 21:24 Reciprocal Genesis 14:10 - fell; Deuteronomy 7:2 - utterly; Joshua 8:2 - do to Ai; 8:17 - a man; 10:20 - had made; John 11:54 - Ephraim Verse 25 Reciprocal Numbers 31:15 - General; Deuteronomy 2:34 - utterly destroyed; Joshua 8:1 - take all; 8:17 - a man Verse 26 JoshuaJoshua seems to have been not only the general but the standard-bearer of the army - Joshua 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.drew not 8:18; Exodus 17:11, 17:12 Reciprocal Deuteronomy 2:34 - utterly destroyed Verse 27 the cattle Joshua 8:2, 11:4; Numbers 31:22, 31:26; Psalm 50:10; Matthew 20:15 he commanded Joshua 8:2 Reciprocal Deuteronomy 2:35 - General; 3:7 - General; Joshua 10:40 - as the Lord; 11:14 - the spoil Verse 28 an heap Deuteronomy 13:16; 2 Kings 19:25; Isaiah 17:1, 25:2; Jeremiah 9:11, 49:2, 50:26; Micah 3:12 unto this day Joshua 4:9 Reciprocal 6:24 - burnt; 8:2 - do to Ai; 8:8 - set the city Verse 29 the kingThe 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. Joshua 10:26-28, 10:30, 10:33; Deuteronomy 21:22, 21:23; Esther 7:10; Psalm 107:40, 110:5; Acts 12:23; Revelation 19:17, 19:18 as soon Joshua 10:27 a great heap 7:26; 2 Samuel 18:17 Reciprocal Genesis 40:19 - hang thee; Joshua 8:2 - do to Ai; 8:23 - General; 10:29 - Libnah; 12:9 - Ai; 2 Samuel 21:6 - hang; Esther 2:23 - hanged Verse 30 built an altar Genesis 8:20, 12:7, 12:8 in mount EbalMoses himself had twice given express orders for this solemnity; once Deuteronomy 11:29, 11:30, in which he pointed out the very place where it was to be performed; and again, at the 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. Joshua 8:33 Reciprocal Deuteronomy 27:4 - in mount Ebal; 27:5 - And there Verse 31 as it is Joshua 8:34, 8:35, 1:8; 2 Kings 14:6, 22:8; 2 Chronicles 25:4, 35:12; Ezra 6:18; Nehemiah 13:1; Matthew 12:26 altar Exodus 20:24, 20:25; Deuteronomy 27:5, 27:6; 1 Kings 18:31, 18:32 and they offered Exodus 18:12, 24:5; Deuteronomy 27:6, 27:7 Reciprocal Joshua 11:12 - as Moses; Habakkuk 3:5 - as Verse 32 Deuteronomy 27:2, 27:3, 27:8
Verse 33 all Israel Joshua 23:2, 24:1; Deuteronomy 27:12, 27:13, 29:10, 29:11 priests Joshua 3:3, 3:6, 3:14, 4:10, 4:18, 6:6; Deuteronomy 31:9, 31:25; 1 Chronicles 15:11-15 stranger Exodus 12:49; Leviticus 24:22; Numbers 15:16, 15:29; Deuteronomy 31:12 Moses Joshua 8:30-32; Deuteronomy 11:29, 27:12 Reciprocal Exodus 5:6 - officers; Numbers 6:23 - General; Deuteronomy 27:14 - General; Joshua 8:35 - strangers; Judges 9:7 - mount Gerizim; John 4:20 - fathers; Habakkuk 3:5 - as Verse 34 he read Deuteronomy 31:10-12; Nehemiah 8:2, 8:3, 9:3, 13:1 blessings Leviticus 26:1-46; Deuteronomy 27:14-26, 28:1-68, 29:20, 29:21, 30:15-20 Reciprocal 27:12 - upon mount Gerizim; 31:11 - shalt read; Joshua 8:31 - as it is Verse 35 was not Deuteronomy 4:2; Jeremiah 26:2; Acts 20:27 women Deuteronomy 29:11, 31:12; Ezra 10:1; Nehemiah 8:2; Joel 2:16; Mark 10:14; Acts 21:5 strangers Joshua 8:33 wereHeb. walkedconversantThe word conversant, from the Latin conversor, is here used in the classical sense of having intercourse with.Reciprocal Deuteronomy 31:11 - shalt read; Joshua 8:31 - as it is