Joshua 8:12-14

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 8:12

And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush ,.... This was another ambush, as both Jarchi and Kimchi observe; and the latter adds, perhaps he set them nearer the city than the former; though some are of opinion that these are the same ambush spoken of, whose number is here given, being set on the same side of the city; and they suppose that Joshua had with him but thirty thousand men in all, five thousand of which he sent to lie in ambush, and the other twenty five... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 8:13

And when they had set the people ,.... In battle array, as in 1 Kings 20:12 ; that is, Joshua and the officers of the army: even all the host that was on the north of the city ; where Joshua and the main army were: and the liers in wait on the west of the city : both the first and second ambush; when all, were prepared and got ready by their several officers, to act the part they were to do: Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley ; according to Ben Gersom, to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 8:14

And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it ,.... Not the ambush on the west side, but the host or army on the north side, or, however, some of his people gave him notice of it: that they hasted and rose up early ; or made haste to rise out of their beds, on the alarm given of Israel's near approach: and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle ; being raised out of their beds and accoutred with armour, and put into a military order, they marched out with their... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 8:13

Verse 13 13.Joshua went that night, etc It is not probable that all were called out from the camp, but the army was composed of those who were more accustomed to war. That it was sufficiently numerous appears from the fact, that five thousand were withdrawn from it for ambuscade. At first thirty-five thousand appear to be enumerated, but it is clear from the context that the number was not so great. I am rather inclined to conjecture that thirty thousand were led out for open fight, and that... 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 8:12

And he took about five thousand men (see above, Joshua 8:3 ). We must translate had taken. The repetition is quite in the manner of the Hebrew writers. This passage is of course, according to the Jehovist and Elohist theory, "quite irreconeilable" with the rest of the narrative. So we are told that this is a Jehovistic interpolation (Knobel). Of the city. The Masorites and LXX . prefer the reading Ai ( i.e; עַי for עִיר ), in the margin of our Bibles, to that in the text,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 8:13

And when they had set. This may mean the leaders of the detachment of 30,000. Joshua does not appear to have been with them, for he is not mentioned till the latter part of the verse (see note on verse 3). Joshua went that night. Having made all his dispositions, he descended in the evening from his vantage ground on the hill into the plain, so as to invite attack in the morning, a stratagem which (see next verse) was completely successful. Some MSS ; however, have וַיָּלֶן "and he... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 8:14

When the king of Ai saw it. The particle כְ here employed signifies immediate action. At a time appointed. Or, at the signal. Keil, following Luther, would prefer at the place appointed, which seems to agree best with what follows. Some copies of the LXX . have ἐπ εὐθείας . Before the plain. Literally, before, or in sight of; i.e; in the direction of the Arabah (see above, Joshua 3:16 ). read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Joshua 8:12

He took - Rather “had taken;” the words refer to the ambuscade which Joshua had detached during the previous night. read more

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