Verse 5
5. About thirty and six men The disaster, though shameful, was much lighter than might have been expected to attend such a rout.
Even unto Shebarim That is, the stone quarries or ruins, the situation of which cannot be determined. Captain Wilson suggests that it may be identical with some extensive ruins northeast of Bethel, called Deir Sheba.
In the going down Or, the declivity. Hebrews, Morad. Perhaps the descent into the wady, (note, Joshua 7:2,) which is hemmed in on both sides with precipitous cliffs, is meant. Both the ruins ( shebarim) and the declivity ( morad) were evidently well known places in the time of the writer of this book but not of sufficient importance to survive in the memory of many generations.
The hearts of the people melted This dismay was not on account of the magnitude of the disaster to the arms of Israel, but because it betokened the withdrawal of their Great Ally, Jehovah. Well may a nation tremble when it sees itself forsaken of God!
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