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
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