| Back to Home Page | Back to Book Index
|
Joshua Chapter
Eight
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 8
Joshua
is encouraged to go up and take Ai
and is directed what method to make use of
Joshua 8:1;
accordingly he set an ambush on the west side of it
and
he and the rest of
the army went up before it
Joshua 8:3; which
when the king of Ai saw
he and all his forces came cut against them
and the
Israelites making a feint as if they were beaten
drew on the men of Ai to
pursue them
upon which the ambush arose and entered the city and set fire to
it
Joshua 8:14; the
smoke of which being observed by Joshua and Israel
they turned back upon the
pursuers
and the ambush sallying out of the city behind them
made an entire
destruction of them
then slew all the inhabitants
took the spoil
burnt the
city
and hanged the king of it
Joshua 8:20; after
this Joshua built an altar at Ebal
wrote the law on stones
and read the
blessings and curses in it before all Israel
Joshua 8:30.
Joshua 8:1 Now
the Lord
said to Joshua: “Do not be afraid
nor be dismayed; take all the people of war
with you
and arise
go up to Ai. See
I have given into your hand the king of
Ai
his people
his city
and his land.
YLT
1And Jehovah saith unto
Joshua
`Fear not
nor be affrighted
take with thee all the people of war
and
rise
go up to Ai; see
I have given into thy hand the king of Ai
and his
people
and his city
and his land
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 encourage him
or to
terrify the enemy
nor because such a number was necessary for the reduction of
Ai
which was but a small city; but that all might have a part in the spoil and
plunder of it
which they were denied at Jericho
and chiefly to draw all the
men out of the city
seeing such a numerous host approaching:
and arise
go up to Ai; which lay high
and
Joshua being now in the plains of Jericho; see Gill on Joshua 7:2
see
I have given into thy hand the king of Ai
and his people
and his city
and his land; this city
though a small one
had a king
over it
as most cities in the land of Canaan had; the number of his people in
it were twelve thousand
and his land were the fields about it; all which were
given to Joshua by the Lord
and were as sure as if he had them already in his
hand.
Joshua 8:2 2 And you shall do to Ai and
its king as you did to Jericho and its king. Only its spoil and its cattle you
shall take as booty for yourselves. Lay an ambush for the city behind it.”
YLT
2and thou hast done to Ai
and to her king as thou hast done to Jericho and to her king; only
its spoil
and its cattle ye spoil for yourselves; set for thee an ambush for the city at
its rear.'
And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst to Jericho and
her king
.... Burn the one and slay the other:
only the spoil thereof
and the cattle thereof
shall ye take for
a prey unto yourselves; which they were not allowed to do at Jericho:
lay thee an ambush for the city behind it; at the west
side of it: some have called in question the lawfulness of the ambush
but
as
this was appointed by the Lord
there is no room for it.
Joshua 8:3 3 So Joshua arose
and all
the people of war
to go up against Ai; and Joshua chose thirty thousand mighty
men of valor and sent them away by night.
YLT
3And Joshua riseth
and all
the people of war
to go up to Ai
and Joshua chooseth thirty thousand men
mighty
ones of valour
and sendeth them away by night
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 these some were to take the city
and be left in it to burn
it
and some to smite the men of Ai
as Abarbinel notes.
Joshua 8:4 4 And he commanded them
saying: “Behold
you shall lie in ambush against the city
behind the city. Do
not go very far from the city
but all of you be ready.
YLT
4and commandeth them
saying
`See
ye are liers in wait against the city
at the rear of the city
ye go not very far off from the city
and all of you have been prepared
And he commanded them
saying
.... At the time he sent
them away:
behold
ye shall lie in wait against the city
even behind
the city; that is
on the west side of it
Joshua 8:9
go not very far from the city
but be ye all ready; to enter into
it
as soon as the forces are drawn out eastward to meet the army of Israel.
Joshua 8:5 5 Then I and all the people
who are with me will approach the city; and it will come about
when
they come out against us as at the first
that we shall flee before them.
YLT
5and I and all the people
who [are] with me draw near unto the city
and it hath come to pass when they
come out to meet us as at the first
and we have fled before them
And I and all the people that are with me will approach
unto the city
.... That is
Joshua with the main body of the army would march
up to the city the next morning
in order to draw out the inhabitants of it to
fight them:
and it shall come to pass
when they come out against us
as at
the first; as they had done before
when the three thousand were sent
against them
Joshua 7:4
that we will flee before them; as the three thousand
did
which would animate them to pursue them with the greater eagerness
and to
a distance from their city.
Joshua 8:6 6 For they will come out
after us till we have drawn them from the city
for they will say
‘They are
fleeing before us as at the first.’ Therefore we will flee before them.
YLT
6and they have come out
after us till we have drawn them out of the city
for they say
They are
fleeing before us as at the first
and we have fled before them
For they will come out after us
.... Of which there could
be no doubt
when they should see them run from them:
till we have drawn them from the city; some distance
from it
that they could not return soon enough to save it from the ambush
or
prevent their entrance into it
and burning it:
for they will say
they will flee before us
as at the first; they run away
as they did before
and let us pursue them and smite them as we did then:
therefore we will flee before them; to draw them out of the
city
and make your way easy to get into it
Joshua 8:7 7 Then you shall rise from
the ambush and seize the city
for the Lord your God will deliver it
into your hand.
YLT
7and ye rise from the
ambush
and have occupied the city
and Jehovah your God hath given it into
your hand;
Then ye shall rise up from the ambush
.... When they
should see a signal made
that in Joshua 8:18; and
when their watch
they might set in a proper place
should see Israel flee
and
the men of Ai at a distance from their city
pursuing
and give notice of it to
the ambush:
and seize upon the city; enter into it
and take
possession of it
its fortresses
and secure its passes:
for the Lord your God will deliver it into your hand; Joshua
expresses himself with great confidence
having the promise of God
and relying
on it.
Joshua 8:8 8 And it will be
when you
have taken the city
that you shall set the city on fire. According to
the commandment of the Lord
you shall do. See
I have commanded you.”
YLT
8and it hath been
when ye
capture the city
ye burn the city with fire
according to the word of Jehovah
ye do
see
I have commanded you.'
And it shall be
when ye have taken the city
.... Entered
it and become masters of it:
that ye shall set
the city on fire; not the whole city
only some outlying houses of it
to make a
smoke which might be seen both by Israel and the men of Ai
for different
purposes; for the spoil of the city was first to be taken before it was utterly
burnt with fire:
according to the commandment of the Lord shall ye do; plunder the
city
destroy the inhabitants of it
and then burn it:
see I have commanded you; delivered the command of
the Lord unto them
and therefore were left without excuse
and could not plead
ignorance; besides
he was their general
and he expected his orders to be
obeyed
as they ought to have been.
Joshua 8:9 9 Joshua therefore sent them
out; and they went to lie in ambush
and stayed between Bethel and Ai
on the
west side of Ai; but Joshua lodged that night among the people.
YLT
9And Joshua sendeth them
away
and they go unto the ambush
and abide between Bethel and Ai
on the west
of Ai; and Joshua lodgeth on that night in the midst of the people.
Joshua therefore sent them forth
.... The thirty thousand
chosen men:
and they went to lie in ambush; as they were ordered
Joshua 8:2
and abode between Bethel and Ai
on the west side of Ai; for as Ai was
on the east of Bethel
Joshua 7:2. Bethel
must be on the west of Ai
as Jarchi notes:
but Joshua lodged that night among the people; the main body
of the army
to direct them in the affair of war
how they should behave the
next day
when they came to fight; and to inspire them with courage and
confidence
that they might not be afraid
because of their having been smitten
before by this people
so Ben Gersom; or rather that he and they might be ready
in the morning to march towards Ai
as Jarchi and Kimchi.
Joshua 8:10 10 Then Joshua rose up early
in the morning and mustered the people
and went up
he and the elders of Israel
before the people to Ai.
YLT
10And Joshua riseth early in
the morning
and inspecteth the people
and goeth up
he and the elders of
Israel
before the people to Ai;
And Joshua rose up early in the morning
and numbered the people
.... To see if
there were any wanting
and to put them in proper order for their march:
and went up
he and the elders of Israel
before the people to Ai; these elders
were either the seventy elders who went with Joshua as council to him; or it
may be rather they were inferior officers
who went at the head of their
respective corps under them.
Joshua 8:11 11 And all the people of war
who were with him went up and drew near; and they came before the city
and camped on the north side of Ai. Now a valley lay between them and
Ai.
YLT
11and all the people of war
who [are] with him have gone up
and draw nigh and come in over-against the
city
and encamp on the north of Ai; and the valley [is] between him and Ai.
And all the people
even the people of war that were
with him
and went up
and drew nigh
.... To the city of Ai:
and came before the city; as if they intended to
besiege it
storm it
or force an entrance into it:
and pitched on the north side of Ai; which was judged fittest
for the purpose:
now there was a valley between them and Ai; which the
Rabbins call the valley of Halacah
as Jarchi says; so that they were upon a
hill
at least on rising ground
and might the more easily be seen by the
inhabitants of Ai
whom they wanted to draw out of their city.
Joshua 8:12 12 So he took about five
thousand men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai
on the west side of
the city.
YLT
12And he taketh about five
thousand men
and setteth them an ambush between Bethel and Ai
on the west of
the city;
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 thousand remained with him; but it seems clear that all the
men of war were to be taken
and were taken by them
and that out of them
thirty thousand were sent by him to lie in wait at first
and now five thousand
more:
between Bethel and Ai
on the west side of the city; and though
they were on the same side of the city with the first and larger ambush
yet
as Abarbinel observes
they might be set nearer the city and to the army; and
he supposes the first ambush was to take the city
and the second little
ambush
as he calls it
was placed
that when the men of the city came out
they might make a noise and a stir
and skirmish with them
that so they might
not come upon the camp suddenly.
Joshua 8:13 13 And when they had set the
people
all the army that was on the north of the city
and its rear
guard on the west of the city
Joshua went that night into the midst of the
valley.
YLT
13and they set the people
all the camp which [is] on the north of the city
and its rear on the west of
the city
and Joshua goeth on that night into the midst of the valley.
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 see whether the guards or sentinels which were placed there were
awake or asleep
lest the men of Ai should come suddenly upon them and smite
them; but perhaps it might be to pray and meditate.
Joshua 8:14 14 Now it happened
when the
king of Ai saw it
that the men of the city hurried and rose early and
went out against Israel to battle
he and all his people
at an appointed place
before the plain. But he did not know that there was an ambush against
him behind the city.
YLT
14And it cometh to pass
when
the king of Ai seeth [it]
that hasten
and rise early
and go out do the men
of the city to meet Israel for battle
he and all his people
at the appointed
season
at the front of the plain
and he hath not known that an ambush [is]
against him
on the rear of the city.
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 king at the head of them
to give Israel battle:
he and all his people
at a time appointed
before the plain; which was
before the city
the same with the valley mentioned
Joshua 8:11; the
city was built on an eminence
and this plain or valley lay at the bottom of
it; and on an eminence on the other side of the valley the army of Israel was
pitched; wherefore the king of Ai and all his men of war went out hither to
attack Israel
and this is said to be at an appointed time; it is difficult to
say what is meant by it
when they seem to have hurried out as best as they
could
as soon as they perceived the Israelites were near them: Ben Gersom and
Abarbinel think it was the same time of the day they went out at first
which
the king might choose as lucky
being before successful
and to encourage the
men
that as they conquered then they should now; which seems not amiss
though
perhaps it rather designs an appointed place
as their rendezvous
and where to
attack Israel
and where they had been before victorious:
but he wist not that there were liers in ambush against him
behind the city; that he knew nothing of
and therefore took no precaution
against them to prevent their design.
Joshua 8:15 15 And Joshua and all Israel
made as if they were beaten before them
and fled by the way of the wilderness.
YLT
15And Joshua and all Israel [seem]
stricken before them
and flee the way of the wilderness
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.
EpiphaniusF23Contr. Haeres. l. 1. tom. 2. makes mention of the
wilderness of Bethel and Ephraim as near Jericho.
Joshua 8:16 16 So all the people who were
in Ai were called together to pursue them. And they pursued Joshua and were
drawn away from the city.
YLT
16and all the people who
[are] in the city are called to pursue after them
and they pursue after
Joshua
and are drawn away out of the city
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"F24וזעקו "vociferantes"
V. L. "vociferati
sunt"
Pagninus
Montanus.
or shouted
as soldiers do when victorious
"in" or "while pursuing"F25לרדף
"persequendo"
Pagninus
Montanus. after them:
and they pursued after Joshua
and were drawn away from the city; at some
considerable distance from it; which was the design to be answered by feigning
a flight.
Joshua 8:17 17 There was not a man left
in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel. So they left the city open and
pursued Israel.
YLT
17and there hath not been
left a man in Ai and Bethel who hath not gone out after Israel
and they leave
the city open
and pursue after Israel.
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 skirmish with them
and that Bethel as well as Ai might be
cleared of its armed inhabitants
and so fall an easy prey to them as well as
Ai: this must be understood only of men of war; for otherwise there were
inhabitants left
as old men
and such as were unfit for war
afterwards slain
Joshua 8:24
and they left the city open: they did not stay to
shut the gates
nor left porters or any guards about
to take care of
protect
and defend the city:
and pursued after Israel; with great eagerness and
vehemence
not having the least apprehension of their city being in any danger.
Joshua 8:18 18 Then the Lord said to
Joshua
“Stretch out the spear that is in your hand toward Ai
for I
will give it into your hand.” And Joshua stretched out the spear that was
in his hand toward the city.
YLT
18And Jehovah saith unto
Joshua
`Stretch out with the javelin which [is] in thy hand towards Ai
for
into thy hand I give it;' and Joshua stretcheth out with the javelin which [is]
in his hand toward the city
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 give it into thine hand; of which the stretching
out of his spear seems also to be a confirming sign to him
and which he kept
stretched out until all the inhabitants of Ai were destroyed
Joshua 8:26
and Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand
toward the city: and therefore must turn himself towards it; and it is highly
probable that at the same time there was a full stop of the army
and that they
immediately turned or prepared to turn about.
Joshua 8:19 19 So those in ambush
arose quickly out of their place; they ran as soon as he had stretched out his
hand
and they entered the city and took it
and hurried to set the city on
fire.
YLT
19and the ambush hath risen
[with] haste
out of its place
and they run at the stretching out of his hand
and go into the city
and capture it
and hasten
and burn the city with fire.
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 sent away; and this was only
a renewal of the order from the Lord
and which pointed out the proper time
the very crisis
when it should be stretched out:
and they entered into the city; without any difficulty
the gates being open:
and took it; took possession of it
and the strong holds in it:
and hasted and set the city on fire; that is
they made haste
to set some houses on fire as the signal to the army of Israel to return.
Joshua 8:20 20 And when the men of Ai
looked behind them
they saw
and behold
the smoke of the city ascended to
heaven. So they had no power to flee this way or that way
and the people who
had fled to the wilderness turned back on the pursuers.
YLT
20And the men of Ai look
behind them
and see
and lo
the smoke of the city hath gone up unto the
heavens
and there hath not been in them power to flee hither and thither --
and the people who are fleeing to the wilderness have turned against the
pursuer
--
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 would meet them; and if they pushed
forward
there was the whole army of Israel against them
which now turned and
faced them
showing no fear of them:
and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the
pursuers; the people of Israel
that fled by the way of the wilderness
Joshua 8:15
turned
about
and fell upon the men of Ai that pursued them.
Joshua 8:21 21 Now when Joshua and all
Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city and that the smoke of the city
ascended
they turned back and struck down the men of Ai.
YLT
21and Joshua and all Israel
have seen that the ambush hath captured the city
and that the smoke of the
city hath gone up
and they turn back and smite the men of Ai;
And when Joshua
.... Or "for Joshua"F26ויהושע "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.
Joshua 8:22 22 Then the others came out
of the city against them; so they were caught in the midst of Israel
some on this side and some on that side. And they struck them down
so that
they let none of them remain or escape.
YLT
22and these have come out
from the city to meet them
and they are in the midst of Israel
some on this
side
and some on that
and they smite them till he hath not left to them a
remnant and escaped one;
And the other issued out of the city against them
.... That is
the ambush
or at least a part of them:
so that they were in the midst of Israel
some on this side
and
some on that side; or
as we commonly say
they were between two fires
the ambush
on one side
the army of Israel on the other:
and they smote them
so that they let none of them remain or
escape; not one was saved alive
excepting their king
as in Joshua 8:23; no
quarter was given them
nor any suffered to make their escape.
Joshua 8:23 23 But the king of Ai they
took alive
and brought him to Joshua.
YLT
23and the king of Ai they
caught alive
and bring him near unto Joshua.
And the king of Ai they took alive
.... They spared him
and
reserved him for a more shameful death:
and brought him to Joshua; their general;
delivering him into his hands as his prisoner
to do will
him as seemed good
in his sight.
Joshua 8:24 24 And it came to pass when
Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field
in
the wilderness where they pursued them
and when they all had fallen by the
edge of the sword until they were consumed
that all the Israelites returned to
Ai and struck it with the edge of the sword.
YLT
24And it cometh to pass
at
Israel's finishing to slay all the inhabitants of Ai in the field
in the
wilderness in which they pursued them (and they fall all of them by the mouth
of the sword till their consumption)
that all Israel turn back to Ai
and
smite it by the mouth of the sword;
And it came to pass
when Israel had made an end of slaying all
the inhabitants of Ai
.... That came out against them:
in the field
in the wilderness wherein they chased them; both in the
arable lands that were sown with corn
and now clothed with it
the wheat
especially
not being gathered in
as not yet ripe
and in the pasture ground
designed by the wilderness
see Joshua 8:15; so
Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret it:
and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword; and were
slain by it:
until they were consumed; and not one left:
that all the Israelites returned unto Ai; both the
ambush that came out of it
and the army that came against it:
and smote it with the edge of the sword; that is
the
inhabitants that were left in it unfit for war
as old men
infirm persons
women and children
as follows.
Joshua 8:25 25 So it was that all
who fell that day
both men and women
were twelve thousand—all the
people of Ai.
YLT
25and all who fall during the
day
of men and of women
are twelve thousand -- all men of Ai.
And so it was
that all that fell that day
.... Partly in
the city
and partly in the field
both by the ambush and the army: both of men
and women:
were twelve
thousand
even all the men of Ai; so that the city was not
a very large one
and the numbers of inhabitants were comparatively but few
as
in Joshua 7:3.
Joshua 8:26 26 For Joshua did not draw
back his hand
with which he stretched out the spear
until he had utterly
destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.
YLT
26And Joshua hath not brought
back his hand which he stretched out with the javelin till that he hath devoted
all the inhabitants of Ai;
For Joshua drew not his hand back wherewith he stretched out his
spear
.... But continued it
and that stretched out:
until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai; just as the
hand of Moses was held up
and kept held up until Amalek was discomfited by
Joshua
Exodus 17:12.
Joshua 8:27 27 Only the livestock and the
spoil of that city Israel took as booty for themselves
according to the word
of the Lord
which He had commanded Joshua.
YLT
27only
the cattle and the
spoil of that city have Israel spoiled for themselves
according to the word of
Jehovah which He commanded Joshua.
Only the cattle
and the spoil of the city
Israel took for a prey
unto themselves
.... Even all their substance
as besides their cattle
also
their gold
silver
household goods
merchandise
&c.
according unto the word of the Lord which he commanded Joshua
Joshua 8:2.
Joshua 8:28 28 So Joshua burned Ai and
made it a heap forever
a desolation to this day.
YLT
28And Joshua burneth Ai
and
maketh it a heap age-during -- a desolation unto this day;
And Joshua burnt Ai
.... The whole
city
fire being only set before to a few houses
to make a smoke as a signal;
he did with it as he had done with Jericho
for so he was ordered
Joshua 8:2
and made it an heap for ever; that is
for a long
time
for it appears to have been rebuilt
and to have been inhabited by the
Jews
after their return from their Babylonish captivity
Nehemiah 11:31
even a desolation
unto this day; to the time of the writing of this book; and by what has been
just observed
it appears that Ezra could not be the writer of it
since this
city was inhabited in his time.
Joshua 8:29 29 And the king of Ai he
hanged on a tree until evening. And as soon as the sun was down
Joshua
commanded that they should take his corpse down from the tree
cast it at the
entrance of the gate of the city
and raise over it a great heap of stones that
remains to this day.
YLT
29and the king of Ai he hath
hanged on the tree till even-time
and at the going in of the sun hath Joshua
commanded
and they take down his carcase from the tree
and cast it unto the
opening of the gate of the city
and raise over it a great heap of stones till
this day.
And the king of Ai he
hanged on a tree until eventide
.... By way of terror to other kings in the
land of Canaan
that should refuse to submit unto him:
and as soon as the sun was down
Joshua commanded that they should
take his carcass down from the tree; according to the law in Deuteronomy 21:23;
and that the land might not be defiled:
and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city; this was
done
according to Ben Gersom and Abarbinel
that it might be publicly known to
the rest of the kings of the nations
that they might be afraid to fight with
Israel:
and raise thereon a great heap of stones
that remaineth
unto this day; as a sepulchral monument
showing that there was a person lay
interred there; whether there was any inscription on the stone
showing who he
was
does not appear; it looks as if it was only a rude heap of stones; and
such kind of sepulchral monuments were common in former times in other countries.
Joshua 8:30 30 Now Joshua built an altar
to the Lord
God of Israel in Mount Ebal
YLT
30Then doth Joshua build an
altar to Jehovah
God of Israel
in mount Ebal
Then Joshua built an altar
unto the Lord God of Israel in Mount Ebal. As was commanded
Deuteronomy 27:5.
The Samaritan Chronicle says
it was built in Mount Gerizim; but there is a
difficulty arises
when this was done by Joshua; it should seem by inserting
the account here
that it was done immediately after the destruction of Ai; and
Mercator endeavours to prove that Ebal was near to Ai
but what he has said
does not give satisfaction; for certain it is
that Ebal and Gerizim were near
Shechem in Samaria
at a great distance from Ai
see Judges 9:6. The
JewsF1Misn. Sotah
c. 7. sect. 5. Seder Olam Rabba
c. 11. p. 30.
Jarchi in loc. generally are of opinion
that this was done as soon as Israel
even the very day
they passed over Jordan
which they think the letter of the
command required
Deuteronomy 11:29;
though it does not
only that it should be done after they were passed over it;
Ebal being at too great a distance from Jordan for them to accomplish it on
that day
being
as they themselves sayF2T. Bab. Sotah
fol. 36. 1.
sixty miles from Jordan; so that they are obliged to make Israel travel that
day an hundred twenty miles
and as they assert they didF3T. Hieros.
Sotah
fol. 21. 3. and which they must do
if what they say was true
it being
sixty miles to Ebal
and sixty more to return again to Gilgal that night
where
they encamped
but this is incredible: and as this account of Joshua's building
the altar is too soon after he had passed Jordan
what R. IshmaelF4Apud
ib. has pitched upon is too late
who says this was not done till after
fourteen years
when the land was conquered
which was seven years doing
and
when it was divided
which were seven years more; what Josephus saysF5Antiqu.
l. 5. c. 1. sect. 14. is more probable than either
which is
that Joshua
five
years after he had entered Canaan
when he had placed the tabernacle at Shiloh
went from thence and built an altar at Ebal; as for what R. Eliezer suggestsF6
that Ebal and Gerizim here mentioned are not the Ebal and Gerizim of the
Samaritans
only two hills were made
and they were called by these names
cannot merit any belief or regard.
Joshua 8:31 31 as Moses the servant of
the Lord
had commanded the children of Israel
as it is written in the Book of the Law
of Moses: “an altar of whole stones over which no man has wielded an iron tool.”[a] And they
offered on it burnt offerings to the Lord
and sacrificed peace
offerings.
YLT
31as Moses
servant of
Jehovah
commanded the sons of Israel
as it is written in the book of the law
of Moses -- an altar of whole stones
over which he hath not waved iron -- and
they cause to go up upon it burnt-offerings to Jehovah
and sacrifice
peace-offerings;
As Moses the servant of
the Lord commanded the children of Israel
as it is written in the book of the
law of Moses
.... Deuteronomy 27:5
an altar of whole stones
on which no man hath lift up any
iron; See Gill on Exodus 20:25; see
Gill on Deuteronomy 27:5
and; see Gill on Deuteronomy 27:6
and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the Lord
and
sacrificed peace offerings; by way of thanksgiving for the good land
they were introduced into
and this was what they were ordered to do by Moses
Deuteronomy 27:6.
Joshua 8:32 32 And there
in the presence
of the children of Israel
he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses
which he had written.
YLT
32and he writeth there on the
stones the copy of the law of Moses
which he hath written in the presence of
the sons of Israel.
And he wrote there upon
the stones a copy of the law of Moses
.... Not upon the stones
of which the altar was made
though some have so thought; but upon other stones
erected in the form of a pillar
and plastered over
Deuteronomy 27:4;
which copy of the law was not the whole book of Deuteronomy
as some
at least
only an abstract of the laws in it; but rather the decalogue
as Abarbinel; or
the blessings and curses later read
as Ben Gersom:
which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel: they being
witness of it
that he did what was enjoined.
Joshua 8:33 33 Then all Israel
with
their elders and officers and judges
stood on either side of the ark before
the priests
the Levites
who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord
the stranger
as well as he who was born among them. Half of them were in front of
Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal
as Moses the servant of
the Lord
had commanded before
that they should bless the people of Israel.
YLT
33And all Israel
and its
elders
and authorities
and its judges
are standing on this side and on that
of the ark
over-against the priests
the Levites
bearing the ark of the
covenant of Jehovah
as well the sojourner as the native
half of them
over-against mount Gerizim
and the half of them over-against mount Ebal
as
Moses servant of Jehovah commanded to bless the people of Israel at the first.
And all Israel
and their
elders
and officers
and their judges
stood on this side the ark
and on that
side
.... Some on Ebal
and some on Gerizim:
before the priests and the Levites
which bare the ark of the
covenant of the Lord; it being brought out of the tabernacle on this occasion
and
bottle by the priests and Levites:
as well the stranger
as he that was born among them; that is
as
well the proselytes as the native Israelites
both appeared and were in the
same situation:
half of them over against Mount Gerizim; that is
half
of the tribes
and these were Simeon
Levi
Judah
Issachar
Joseph
and
Benjamin:
and half of them over against Mount Ebal; which were
the tribes of Reuben
Gad
Asher
Zebulun
Dan
and Naphtali; See Gill on Deuteronomy 27:12
and See Gill on Deuteronomy 27:13
as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded before
that they
should bless the people of Israel
as in Deuteronomy 27:12.
Joshua 8:34 34 And afterward he read all
the words of the law
the blessings and the cursings
according to all that is
written in the Book of the Law.
YLT
34And afterwards he hath
proclaimed all the words of the law
the blessing and the reviling
according
to all that is written in the book of the law;
And afterwards he read all
the words of the law
.... Not the whole Pentateuch
nor the whole book of Deuteronomy
but either some parts of it
the decalogue
or whatsoever he had written on the
stones
and as follows:
the blessings and cursings
according to all that was written in
the book of the law; Deuteronomy 27:14;
See Gill on Deuteronomy 27:11.
Joshua 8:35 35 There was not a word of
all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly
of Israel
with the women
the little ones
and the strangers who were living
among them.
YLT
35there hath not been a thing
of all that Moses commanded which Joshua hath not proclaimed before all the
assembly of Israel
and the women
and the infants
and the sojourner who is
going in their midst.
There was not a word of all that Moses commanded
which Joshua
read not
.... So punctually
precisely
and exactly did he observe the
instructions and commands that were given him by Moses; and this he did in the
most public manner:
before all the congregation of Israel; who were on
this occasion called together
and not before the men only
but
with the women
and little ones: who all had a concern in
the things that were read to them: yea
even
and the strangers that were conversant among them; not the
proselytes of righteousness only
but the proselytes of the gate
that dwelt
walked
and conversed with them.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)