Joshua 8:16

8:3-22 Observe Joshua's conduct and prudence. Those that would maintain their spiritual conflicts must not love their ease. Probably he went into the valley alone, to pray to God for a blessing, and he did not seek in vain. He never drew back till the work was done. Those that have stretched out their hands against their spiritual enemies, must never draw them back.

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" (x), or shouted, as soldiers do when victorious, "in" or "while pursuing" (y) 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. (x) "vociferantes", V. L. "vociferati sunt", Pagninus, Montanus. (y) "persequendo", Pagninus, Montanus.

15-17. Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them—the pretended flight in the direction of the wilderness; that is, southeast, into the Ghor, the desert valley of the Jordan, decoyed all the inhabitants of Ai out of the city, while the people of Beth-el hastened to participate in the expected victory. It is supposed by some, from "the city," and not "cities," being spoken of, that the effective force of Beth-el had been concentrated in Ai, as the two places were closely contiguous, and Ai the larger of the two. (See Jos 12:9). It may be remarked, however, that the words, "or Beth-el," are not in the Septuagint, and are rejected by some eminent scholars, as an interpolation not found in the most ancient manuscripts.

At a time appointed - Rather, "at the place appointed," i. e. some spot suitable for the drawing up of his men, which had been assigned beforehand. This was "before the plain," i. e. it was at the entrance of the depressed tract of land which runs down to the Jordan valley, up which lay the route of the Israelites from Gilgal to Ai.

Verse 16. - Were called together. So the Masorites. Perhaps it would be better to translate, raised a cry ("at illi vociferantes." Vulgate. "Da schrie das ganze Volk." Luther). This gives us the scene in all its picturesque detail. We hear the exultant shout of the men of Ai, as they thought the victory won. The LXX. appear to have read חָזַק for זָעַק for they translate ἐνίσχυσε . The city. The Masorites correct here again into "Ai." But the LXX. and Vulgate render as the English translation. Joshua 8:16

And all the people in the town were called together to pursue the Israelites, and were drawn away from the town, so that not a man, i.e., not a single soldier who could take part in the pursuit, remained either in Ai or the neighbouring town of Bethel, and the town stood open behind them. It is evident from Joshua 8:17 that the inhabitants of Bethel, which was about three hours' journey from Ai, took part in the battle, probably in consequence of a treaty which the king of Ai had made with them in the expectation of a renewed and still stronger attack on the part of the Israelites. Nothing further is known upon this point; nor can anything be inferred from the fact that the king of Bethel is included in the list of the kings slain by Joshua ( Joshua 12:16 ). Consequently, we cannot decide whether the Bethelites came to the help of the Aites for the first time on the day of the battle itself, or, what is more probable, had already sent men to Ai, to help to repulse the expected attack of the Israelites upon that town.

[Reformed Biblical] And for the burning of Achan, commanded #Joshua 7:15 , it seems not likely to be meant of his burning alive, because that burning is common to him, and all that he hath , as is there expressed; but of the burning of his dead carcass, and other lifeless things, as the manner was with accursed things, #Deuteronomy 13:16 . ## Ver. 26. A great heap of stones; as a monument of the sin and judgment here mentioned, that others might be instructed and warned by the example; and as a brand of infamy, as #Joshua 8:29 2 Samuel 18:17 . ## The valley of Achor; or, the valley of trouble, from the double trouble expressed #Joshua 7:25 . ## JOSHUA CHAPTER 8 God puts new courage into Joshua; commands him to go and besiege Ai, promising he should take it, #Joshua 8:1,2 . The stratagem whereby it is taken; it is burnt, #Joshua 8:3-22 . The king is taken prisoner; the inhabitants are put to the sword; the cattle and goods spoiled; the king is hanged, #Joshua 8:23-29 . Joshua builds an altar, #Joshua 8:30 ; offers thereon, #Joshua 8:31 ; writes the law on stones, ## #Joshua 8:32 . It and its blessings and curses are read before the people, #Joshua 8:33-35 . ## Ver. 1. Take all the people of war with thee; partly to strengthen them against those fears which their late defeat had wrought in them; and partly that all of them might be partakers of this first spoil, and thereby be encouraged to proceed in their work.

The descendants of Salma: Bethlehem, i.e., the family of Bethlehem (see on 1 Chronicles 2:52 ), the Netophathites, i.e., the inhabitants of the town of Netophah, which, according to our verse and Ezra 2:22 , and especially Nehemiah 7:26 , is to be looked for in the neighbourhood of Bethlehem (cf. 1 Chronicles 9:16 ); a family which produced at various times renowned men (cf. 2 Samuel 23:28 .; 2 Kings 25:23 ; Ezra 2:22 ). The following words, י עטחרות ב, i.e., "crowns of the house of Joab," can only be the name of a place which is mentioned instead of its inhabitants; for עטרות occurs elsewhere, sometimes alone, and sometimes in conjunction with a proper name, as the name of places: cf. Numbers 32:34 .; Joshua 16:2 , Joshua 16:5 , Joshua 16:7 ; Joshua 18:13 . Hazi-Hammanahath is certainly to be sought in the neighbourhood of Manahath, 1 Chronicles 8:6 , whose position has, however, not yet been ascertained. הצּרעי is only another form of הצּרעתי, and is derived from the masculine of the word. The Zorites here spoken of formed a second division of the inhabitants of Zoreah and the neighbourhood, along with the Zoreathites descended from Shobal, 1 Chronicles 2:53 .

Appeals to lots were made under divine authority by the chosen people on the most solemn occasions Leviticus 16:8; Numbers 26:55; Joshua 7:14-18; Joshua 13:6; Joshua 18:8; 1 Samuel 14:41-42; Acts 1:26, and it must have been a truth commonly recognized by the people that though "the lot was cast into the lap, the whole disposing thereof was of the Lord" Proverbs 16:33.

Tappuah.—A town in the Shephelah (Joshua 15:34; Joshua 16:8). Rekem.—A Benjamite city (Joshua 18:27); in 1Chronicles 7:16, a Machirite chieftain or clan. Shema.—Occurs several times in the chronicle. In 1Chronicles 5:8; 1Chronicles 8:13 it appears to be the name of a clan; in 1Chronicles 11:44 and Nehemiah 8:4 a person is meant. (44) Jorkoam.—Occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament. The LXX. (Alex.) has Ἰεκλάν, Jeklan. Probably, therefore, the correct reading is Jokdeam. (For the change of Hebrew d to Greek l see 1Kings 5:11, where Hebrew Darda is represented by Δαραλά.) Jokdeam was a town in the hill-country of Judah (Joshua 15:56). The chief or clan Raham is here called its father or founder. Rekem.—The LXX. (Alex.) again has Jeklan (Jokdeam), which is as likely to be right as Rekem. Shammai.—See 1Chronicles 2:28. (45) Maon . . . Beth-zur.—Towns in the hill-country of Judah (Joshua 15:55; Joshua 15:58). Maon, now Main, south of Hebron. Beth-zur (2Chronicles 11:7), now Beit-sûr. In Judges 10:12 Midianites, not Maonites, is the better reading.