Joshua 8:25

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 8:1-35

The Conquest of Ai. The Covenant confirmed upon Mt. Ebal1-29. The Taking of Ai. Edersheim explains that Joshua detailed a corps of 30,000 men, of whom 5,000 were placed W. of Ai in a wood. The 25,000 pitched K of Ai, and subsequently moved forward into the valley below the city. Then came the feigned attack and retreat eastward, the signal from Joshua, and the assault by the ambush from the rear. It should be noted, however, that there are two accounts of the ambush, one in Joshua 8:3, Joshua... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Joshua 8:1-35

Joshua 8:0 By general consent the valley of Shechem holds the distinction of being one of the most beautiful in the country. 'Its western side,' says Stanley, 'is bounded by the abutments of two mountain ranges, running from west to east. These ranges are Gerizim and Ebal; and up the opening between them, not seen from the plain, lies the modern town of Nablous [Neapolis = Shechem].... A valley green with grass, grey with olives, gardens sloping down on each side, fresh springs running down in... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Joshua 8:1-29

CHAPTER XVI.THE CAPTURE OF AI.Joshua 8:1-29.JOSHUA, having dealt faithfully with the case of Achan, whose sin had intercepted the favour of God, is again encouraged, and directed to renew, but more carefully, his attack on Ai. That word is addressed to him which has always such significance when coming from the Divine lips - "Fear not." How much of our misery arises from fear! How many a beating heart, how many a shaking nerve, how many a sleepless night have come, not from evil experienced,... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Joshua 8:1-35

8. The Overthrow of Ai CHAPTER 8 1. The advance commanded (Joshua 8:1-2 ) 2. The strategy of Joshua (Joshua 8:3-13 ) 3. Ai’s defeat (Joshua 8:14-29 ) 4. Joshua’s obedience (Joshua 8:30-35 ) Sin confessed, judged and put away restored communion with the Lord. If any burden remained upon the mind of Joshua, it was removed by the repeated words of comfort and cheer. “Fear not, neither be thou dismayed.” The failure is no longer mentioned, but instead, comfort and assurance is given and... read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 8:1-35

AI TOTALLY DESTROYED (vs.1-29) Now the Lord gives explicit instructions to Joshua as to attacking Ai. How different these were to the plans Joshua used at first! God tells Joshua not to be afraid, but to take with him all the men of war, not only 3000 men (v.1). It was God who would deliver them into the hand of Joshua, so that there was no doubt of their gaining the victory. They must do with Ai as they had done with Jericho, but in this case the people could take the spoil for themselves... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Joshua 8:1-35

JERICHO AND AI DIVINE ORDERS (Joshua 6:1-5 ) These verses should not be separated from the foregoing by a chapter division, since it is evident that the orders here received by Joshua were given by the Captain of the Lord’s host previously described. Observe another proof of His deity in the words, “I have given into thine hand Jericho.” The mode by which Joshua was to proceed (Joshua 6:3-5 ) calls for no explanation. What had been his own preparations for the attack on the city? Was he... read more

Joseph Parker

The People's Bible by Joseph Parker - Joshua 8:1-35

The Taking of Ai Spiritualised Joshua 8:0 THE details of this chapter are certainly not in keeping with the spirit of the later revelations of the mind of God. We have nothing to do with the chapter locally and incidentally; in that respect it is a forgotten thing. Revelations are unquestionably matters of time. This is the solution of many difficulties which are supposed to be found in the Bible, where there are really no difficulties at all when the whole is measured by the right scale and... read more

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Joshua 8:23-29

The sacred historian relates in those verses, the improvement which Israel made of their victory; and a glorious one it was; because there was nothing done here, but what was agreeable to the divine appointment. If the Reader keeps in view, the spiritual sense of those wars he meets with in the holy word, and recollects while reading those accounts, that these things were typical of Jesus and his army, subduing all the enemies of our salvation; his mind will be led to this most certain... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 8:23-29

23-29 God, the righteous Judge, had sentenced the Canaanites for their wickedness; the Israelites only executed his doom. None of their conduct can be drawn into an example for others. Especial reason no doubt there was for this severity to the king of Ai; it is likely he had been notoriously wicked and vile, and a blasphemer of the God of Israel. read more

Paul E. Kretzmann

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - Joshua 8:14-29

Ai Taken and Destroyed v. 14. And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up early, believing they had only the army to the north of the city to deal with; and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he (the king) and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain, in the only place where a battle in open formation was possible, near the steppes of Beth-aven, east of Bethel; but he wist not that there were liers-in-ambush against him... read more

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