Joshua 8:3 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 8:3-22

We have here an account of the taking of Ai by stratagem. The stratagem here used, we are sure, was lawful and good; God himself appointed it, and we have no reason to think but that the like is lawful and good in other wars. Here was no league broken, no treaty of peace, that the advantage was gained; no, these are sacred things, and not to be jested with, nor used to serve a turn; truth, when once it is plighted, becomes a debt even to the enemy. But in this stratagem here was no untruth... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 8:3

So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai ,.... As the Lord had commanded him: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour ; out of all the men of war; these were a select company, picked men, not the whole army, as some have thought, for he was ordered to take all the people of war, as he did: and sent them away by night ; from the main army, that they might pass the city and get behind it undiscovered, for they were sent for an ambush; and of... 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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 8:3

Thirty thousand. In Joshua 8:12 we read 5,000, and this must be the true reading. Thirty thousand men could hardly have been posted, without detection, in the ravines around Ai, whereas we are informed by travellers that there would have been no difficulty in concealing 5,000 men there. See, however, the passage cited from Lieut. Conder's Report in the note on Joshua 7:2 . The confused condition of the numbers in the present text of the Old Testament is a well known fact, and it is... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Joshua 8:3

Thirty thousand men - comparing Joshua 8:3 and Joshua 8:12 (“five thousand men”), there is probably a mistake in the numbers of this verse, where an early copyist may have written the sign for 30,000 instead of that for 5,000.Sent them away by night - The selected 5,000 would accordingly post themselves in the main ravine between Ai and Bethel in the night and early morning. The neighhorhood in which Ai was situated is described as “a wild entanglement of hill and valley;” and amidst its... 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

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Joshua 8:3

"So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up to Ai: and Joshua chose out 30,000 men, the mighty men of valor, and sent them forth by night. And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in ambush, against the city; go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready: and I, and all the people that are with me, will approach unto the city. And it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them; and they will come out after us, till... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Joshua 8:3-9

Ver. 3-9. So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, &c.— Joshua first detached from his army thirty thousand men, and charged them to go in the night-time and lie in ambush on the west side of Ai, at a convenient distance; while, on his part, by break of day, he advanced with all his troops, and appeared before the town, in order to draw out from thence the garrison, which, doubtless, had no idea that the whole army followed. He then informed the officers who commanded the detachment,... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Joshua 8:3

3. So Joshua . . . chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour—Joshua despatched thirty thousand men under cover of night, to station themselves at the place appointed for the ambuscade. Out of this number a detachment of five thousand was sent forward to conceal themselves in the immediate precincts of the town, in order to seize the first opportunity of throwing themselves into it [ :-]. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Joshua 8:1-29

3. Victory at Ai 8:1-29When the people had dealt with the sin of Achan as God commanded, Israel was ready to engage the enemy again. read more