Joshua 7:1-5

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 7:1-5

The story of this chapter begins with a but. The Lord was with Joshua, and his fame was noised through all that country, so the foregoing chapter ends, and it left no room to doubt but that he would go on as he had begun conquering and to conquer. He did right, and observed his orders in every thing. But the children of Israel committed a trespass, and so set God against them; and then even Joshua's name and fame, his wisdom and courage, could do them no service. If we lose our God, we lose... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 7:1

But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing ,.... Or concerning it, with respect to it, by taking part of what was devoted to another use, and forbidden theirs: this was done, not by the whole body of the people, only by one of them; but it not being discovered who it was, it was imputed to the whole, on whom it lay to find out the guilty person and punish him, or else the whole must suffer for it: this chapter begins with a "but", and draws a vail over the fame and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 7:2

And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai ,.... Which was the next city of importance, though not so large as Jericho, and was, as the Jews say F12 Shemoth Rabba, sect. 32. fol. 185. 2. , three miles distant from it; Abarbinel says F13 In Josh. xx. fol. 34. 1. four miles, and so Bunting F14 Travels Of the Patriarchs, &c.; p. 95. ; Jerom F15 De loc. Heb. fol. 87. E. says, that in his times very few ruins of it appeared, only the place was shown where it stood: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 7:3

And they returned unto Joshua, and said unto him, let not all the people go up ,.... After they had reconnoitred the place, they came back to their general, and gave it as their opinion, that there was no need for the whole army to go up against the city: but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai ; such a number they judged were sufficient to take it: and make not all the people to labour thither ; carrying their tents, bearing their armour, and going up hill: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 7:4

So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men ,.... Joshua detached from the army the largest number proposed, that there might be strength enough to take the place; and those he sent under proper officers to Ai, who went up to the very gate of the city, as appears from Joshua 7:5 , and they fled before the men of Ai ; for upon their appearing at the gate of their city, they came out with all their forces against them, and as soon as they did, the children of Israel... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 7:5

And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men ,.... In the pursuit of them, which were but few, but a sufficient rebuke of Providence; their loss was but small, but their shame and disgrace great: for they chased them from before the gate ; the gate of the city of Ai: even unto Shebarim ; not that there was a place of this name before, but it was so called from hence, because there they were broken, as Kimchi observes; and the Targum and Jarchi render it,"until they... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 7:1

The children of Israel committed a trespass - It is certain that one only was guilty; and yet the trespass is imputed here to the whole congregation; and the whole congregation soon suffered shame and disgrace on the account, as their armies were defeated, thirty-six persons slain, and general terror spread through the whole camp. Being one body, God attributes the crime of the individual to the whole till the trespass was discovered, and by a public act of justice inflicted on... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 7:2

Sent men from Jericho to Ai - This is the place called Hai, Genesis 12:8 . It was in the east of Beth-el, north of Jericho, from which it was distant about ten or twelve miles. From Joshua 7:4 , Joshua 7:5 ; it appears to have been situated upon a hill, and belonged to the Amorites, as we learn from Joshua 7:7 . It is very likely that it was a strong place, as it chose to risk a siege, notwithstanding the extraordinary destruction of Jericho which it had lately witnessed. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 7:4

About three thousand men - The spies sent to reconnoitre the place ( Joshua 7:3 ;) reported that the town was meanly garrisoned, and that two or three thousand men would be sufficient to take it. These were accordingly sent up, and were repulsed by the Amorites. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 7:5

They chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim - They seem to have presumed that the men of Ai would have immediately opened their gates to them, and therefore they marched up with confidence; but the enemy appearing, they were put to flight, their ranks utterly broken, and thirty-six of them killed. שברים Shebarim signifies breaches or broken places, and may here apply to the ranks of the Israelites, which were broken by the men of Ai; for the people were... read more

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