Bibelkommentare

God puts new courage into Joshua; commands him to go and besiege Ai, promising he should take it, Joshua 8:1,2. The stratagem whereby it is taken; it is burnt, Joshua 8:3-22. The king is taken prisoner; the inhabitants are put to the sword; the cattle and goods spoiled; the king is hanged, Joshua 8:23-29. Joshua builds an altar, Joshua 8:30; offers thereon, Joshua 8:31; writes the law on stones, Joshua 8:32. It and its blessings and curses are read before the people, Joshua 8:33-35.

Take all the people of war with thee; partly to strengthen them against those fears which their late defeat had wrought in them; and partly that all of them might be partakers of this first spoil, and thereby be encouraged to proceed in their work. The weak multitude were not to go, because they might have hindered them in the following stratagem; and it was but fit that the military men who run the greatest hazards, should have the precedency and privilege in the spoils.

To Ai, i.e. the city and people of Ai.

As thou didst unto Jericho and her king, i.e. overcome and destroy them. This was enjoined, partly to chastise their last insolence, and the triumphs and blasphemies which doubtless their success produced; and partly to revive the dread and terror which had been impressed upon the Canaanites by Jericho’s ruin, and had been much abated by the late success of Ai, and their confidence and expectation of further and greater success much raised.

To go up against Ai, i.e. to consider and conclude about this expedition of going against Ai; not as if all the people of war did actually go up, which was both unnecessary and burdensome, and might hinder their following design; but it seems to be resolved by Joshua and all the council of war, that the thirty thousand here following should be selected for the enterprise. Either,

1. The thirty thousand now mentioned; or,

2. Part of them, to wit, such as were to lie in wait, as seems most probable, both from the next verse, which limits it to those who were to lie in wait, and from Joshua 8:9, where what is here mentioned only by anticipation is actually put in execution; and it is said of them that were sent forth, that they went to lie in ambush, and did so; and these were only five thousand men, as is expressed, Joshua 8:12. And the only inconvenience of this exposition is, that the pronoun relative them is put without, or before its antecedent, which is left to be gathered out of the following words, which is not unusual in the Hebrew tongue, as plainly appears from Exodus 14:19 Numbers 18:9 24:17 Psalm 87:1 105:19 114:2 Proverbs 7:8 14:26.

He commanded them; the same party last spoken of, Joshua 8:3, even the five thousand mentioned Joshua 8:12. This historical-narration seems obscure and intricate, and at first view to make three parties, one of thirty thousand, Joshua 8:3; one of five thousand, Joshua 8:12, which may seem to be two several ambushes; and a third of all the people, Joshua 8:5,11. But if it be more narrowly and considerately observed, it will appear that there are only two parties engaged in the taking of Ai, and but one ambush, as plainly appears by comparing Joshua 8:9 (which manifestly speaks of that party which is mentioned Joshua 8:3) with Joshua 8:12, which speaks only of five thousand, which is justly supposed to be a part of those thirty thousand named Joshua 8:3, and that part which was to lie in ambush; unless we will suppose that there were two ambushes, one of thirty thousand, and the other of five thousand, both lying in wait in the same quarter, even between Beth-el and Ai, on the west side of Ai, the only place where the ambush lay, as is said both Joshua 8:9,12,13, which seems absurd and incredible. And besides, in the execution of this command, there is mention but of one ambush, Joshua 8:12-14,19, and they are said to consist only of five thousand, Joshua 8:12, and they only take and burn the city, Joshua 8:19; so that the other supposed ambush of thirty thousand is perfectly vanished and lost, and did nothing in this work; which also is very improbable. And therefore that thirty thousand, Joshua 8:3, are the same who are called the people, and the people of war that were with Joshua, Joshua 8:5,11, which is pitched on the north side of Ai, Joshua 8:11,13, as the ambush did on the west side; but for any other side of the city, or a third party placed elsewhere about Ai, we read not one word; and therefore it may well be presumed there were no more employed to take it.

That are, or, that shall be; for at present he sent them away, Joshua 8:9, but he next morning followed them, and joined himself with the prover. Joshua 8:10,11.

We will flee; I and the twenty-five thousand with me.

No text from Poole on this verse.

Ye shall rise up from the ambush, to wit, upon the signal given, of which Joshua 8:18.

Ye shall set the city on fire, to wit, part of it, as a sign to their brethren of their success; for the whole city was not burnt now, but afterwards, as is said Joshua 8:28.