Joshua 8:14-27

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

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 8:23-29

We have here an account of the improvement which the Israelites made of their victory over Ai. 1. They put all to the sword, not only in the field, but in the city, man, woman, and child, none of them remained, Josh. 8:24. God, the righteous Judge, had passed this sentence upon them for their wickedness, so that the Israelites were only the ministers of his justice and the executioners of his doom. Once in this story, and but once, mention is made of the men of Beth-el, as confederates with... 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 Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 8:15

And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them ,.... Or smitten, as some of them might be in the pursuit: and fled by the way of the wilderness ; not a barren desert, but, according to Kimchi and Ben Melech, a place for the pasture of cattle; though perhaps it is the same with the wilderness of Bethaven, Joshua 18:12 . Epiphanius F23 Contr. Haeres. l. 1. tom. 2. makes mention of the wilderness of Bethel and Ephraim as near Jericho. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 8:16

And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue after them ,.... Because the host of Israel was very numerous, it was judged proper that all the people in Ai should assist in pursuing them, not only to kill the more in the pursuit, but to carry off the spoil and prisoners they should take; or rather the sense is, that all the people in Ai, which were come out with the king to battle, when they saw Israel flee, "cried" F24 וזעקו "vociferantes", V. L. "vociferati... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 8:17

And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel that went not out after Israel ,.... For as these two places were very near to each other, but a mile apart, they were in confederacy, and acted together, and could easily be called to the help of each other when required: though there is a difficulty how the men of Bethel could join those of Ai, when the ambush lay between them both, Joshua 8:12 ; they either went another way, or the ambush purposely let them pass, for fear of a discovery by a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 8:18

And the Lord said unto Joshua, stretch out the spear that is in thy hand towards Ai ,.... On which was a flag, as Abarbinel and Ben Melech think; and which is not improbable, and served for a signal for the ambush to come out and seize the city, as both they and Jarchi observe, as well as a signal also to the army of Israel to prepare to turn and face about, and engage with the enemy; though they did not actually do this until they saw the smoke of the city, Joshua 8:21 , for I will... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 8:19

And the ambush arose quickly out of their place ,.... As soon as the sentinels set in proper places observed the signal, and gave them notice of it, which was the stretching out of the spear, as appears by what follows: and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand ; and the spear in his hand; from whence it is plain, that though the Lord is said to bid Joshua do this now, he had orders from him for it before and the ambush must have been made acquainted with it before they were... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 8:20

And when the men of Ai looked behind them ,.... On some account or another, perhaps observing that the army of Israel made a full stop and was gazing at the city: they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven ; from whence they concluded an enemy was there, and had set fire to it: and they had no power to flee this way or that way ; for if they turned back to their city there was an enemy, how powerful they knew not, possessed of it, and whom they might expect... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 8:21

And when Joshua ,.... Or "for Joshua" F26 ויהושע "et enim Josua", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; so Masius. : and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city ; which they knew by the smoke, as follows: and that the smoke of the city ascended ; in large columns, which sufficiently indicated that the whole city was taken and fired by the ambush: then , or, "and": they turned again and slew the men of Ai ; great numbers of them. read more

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