Joshua 8:1-10:43 KJV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 8:1-2

Israel were very happy in having such a commander as Joshua, but Joshua was more happy in having such a director as God himself; when any difficulty occurred, he needed not to call a council of war who had God so nigh unto him, not only to answer, but even to anticipate, his enquiries. It should seem, Joshua was now at a stand, had scarcely recovered the discomposure he was put into by the trouble Achan gave them, and could not think, without fear and trembling, of pushing forward, lest there... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 8:1

And the Lord said unto Joshua ,.... Immediately after the execution of Achan, the fierceness of his anger being turned away: fear not, neither be thou dismayed ; on account of the defeat of his troops he had sent to take Ai: take all the people of war with thee ; all above twenty years of age, which, with the forty thousand of the tribes on the other side Jordan he brought over with him, must make an arm, five hundred thousand men; these Joshua was to take with so much to animate and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 8:1

Fear not - The iniquity being now purged away, because of which God had turned his hand against Israel, there was now no cause to dread any other disaster, and therefore Joshua is ordered to take courage. Take all the people of war with thee - From the letter of this verse it appears that all that were capable of carrying arms were to march out of the camp on this occasion: thirty thousand chosen men formed an ambuscade in one place; five thousand he placed in another,... read more

John Calvin

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

Verse 1 1.And the Lord said unto Joshua, etc It was of great consequence to Joshua, as well as the people, to inspire new courage, that they might prepare with confidence to assault the city of Ai, from which they had lately been repulsed with loss and greater disgrace. God, therefore, to inspire them with intrepidity on this expedition, promises that he will give them the city. With the same view he enjoins them to fight by stratagem more than open war, to entice the enemy out, and to select a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 8:1

EXPOSITION THE CAPTURE OF AI .— Fear not. Joshua was down cast at his former failure, and well he might. "Treacherous Israelites are to be dreaded more than malicious Canaanites" (Matthew Henry). Take all the people of wax with thee. Not, as has been before stated, because 3,000 men were too few to take the city, for the capture of Jericho was a far greater marvel than that of Ai with this number of men. The true reason is indicated by Calvin, and is indeed suggested by... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 8:1-29

Renewed effort after disaster. The Christian warfare, whether from an individual or from a general point of view, is no record of invariable success. The career of each Christian, as of the Christian Church, is a chequered course. It has its periods of triumph and its moments of disaster. We learn here many valuable lessons as to our conduct under adverse circumstances. I. WE ARE NOT TO INDULGE DESPONDENCY . II. WE MUST GIVE HONOUR WHERE HONOUR IS DUE .... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Joshua 8:1

God rouses Joshua from his dejection Joshua 7:6, and bids him lmarch against Ai with the main body. Though Ai was but a small city (compare Joshua 8:25 and Joshua 7:3), yet the discouragement of the people rendered it inexpedient to send a second time a mere detachment against it; and the people of Ai had, as appears from Joshua 8:17, help from Bethel, and possibly from other places also. It was fitting too that all the people should witness with their own eyes the happy consequences of having... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Joshua 8:1

Joshua 8:1. And the Lord said unto Joshua Who, it is probable, now consulted God about the progress of the war, which he had omitted to do before, thinking himself, it seems, sufficiently authorised to proceed according to his own judgment, by what God had often said to him, and his success against Jericho. Take all the people of war with thee This order may seem strange, since the people themselves thought that two or three thousand men would be sufficient, if God were with and not... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Joshua 8:1-35

Victory in central Canaan (8:1-9:27)Now that the Israelites had removed the cause of their defeat, God promised Joshua victory over Ai. He added that on this occasion the Israelites could keep the plunder for themselves (8:1-2).Even with God’s assurance of victory, Joshua planned the attack thoroughly. One company of soldiers was to draw the men of Ai out of the city to fight, then a second company would come out of hiding to attack Ai from the rear (3-9). The plan worked perfectly. When the... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Joshua 8:1

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah . App-4 . said. See note on Joshua 3:7 . see. Figure of speech Asterienios ( App-6 ). and. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton ( App-6 ) emphasising each particular. read more