Josh. 8 God puts new courage into Joshua; commands him to go and besiege Ai, promising he should take it, Josh. 8:1–2. The stratagem whereby it is taken; it is burnt, Josh. 8:3–22.

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.

To Ai, i.e. the city and people of Ai. As thou didst unto Jericho and her king, i.e. overcome and destroy them. This was enjoined, partly to chastise their last insolence, and the triumphs and blasphemies which doubtless their success produced; and partly to revive the dread and terror which had…

To go up against Ai, i.e. to consider and conclude about this expedition of going against Ai; not as if all the people of war did actually go up, which was both unnecessary and burdensome, and might hinder their following design; but it seems to be resolved by Joshua and all the council of war,…

He commanded them; the same party last spoken of, Josh. 8:3, even the five thousand mentioned Josh. 8:12. This historical-narration seems obscure and intricate, and at first view to make three parties, one of thirty thousand, Josh. 8:3; one of five thousand, Josh.

That are, or, that shall be; for at present he sent them away, Josh. 8:9, but he next morning followed them, and joined himself with the prover. Josh. 8:10–11. We will flee; I and the twenty-five thousand with me.

Ye shall rise up from the ambush, to wit, upon the signal given, of which Josh. 8:18.

Ye shall set the city on fire, to wit, part of it, as a sign to their brethren of their success; for the whole city was not burnt now, but afterwards, as is said Josh. 8:28.

Sent them forth; the same party designed by the pronoun them, Josh. 8:3, of which see the notes there. Among the people, Heb. that people, to wit, the people of war, as they are called, Josh. 8:11, to wit, the main body of that host, consisting of thirty thousand.

The people, Heb. that people, not all the people of Israel, which was needless, and required more time than could now be spared; but the rest of that host of thirty thousand, whereof five thousand were sent away; and now the remainder are numbered, partly to see whether some of them had not…

The people of war that were with him, to wit, the thirty thousand mentioned Josh. 8:3, or the most of them.

And he took, or, rather, but he had taken, to wit, out of the said number of thirty thousand, for this is added by way of recapitulation and further explication of what is said in general, Josh. 8:9.

To wit, accompanied with a small part of the host now mentioned, i.e. very early in the morning, when it was yet dark, as is said in a like case, John 20:1, whence it is here called night, though it was early in the morning, as is said Josh.

All his people, to wit, all his men of war, for the rest were left in Ai, Josh. 8:16. At a time appointed; at a certain hour agreed upon between the king and people of Ai, and of Beth-el too, who were their confederates in this enterprise, as it may seem from Josh. 8:17.

Made as if they were beaten before them, i.e. fled from them, as it were for fear of a second blow; and peradventure some of them might be wounded, though none were killed, and might make that the pretence of their fleeing away.

All the people, to wit, all that were able to bear arms, for old men and children were unfit for the pursuit or fight; and that they were yet left, may seem from Josh. 8:24–25.

Not a man, to wit, fit for war. Beth-el, being a neighbouring city, and encouraged by the former success, had sent some forces to assist them; and now, upon notice sent to them of the flight of their common enemies, or upon some other signal given, which might easily be done, having been appointed…

The spear, or, thy banner; or there might be some banner in the end of his spear. This was prescribed and practised, either, 1. For a sign to his host present with him, to stop their flight, and make head against the pursuers; or, 2. For a signal to the liers in wait, as may seem from Josh.

i.e. Not all of it, as appears both from Josh. 8:28, and because then they had lost that prey which God had allowed them; but some part of it, enough to raise a smoke, and give notice to their brethren of their success.

No power, or, place; for so the Hebrew word is oft used, as Num. 2:17, Neh. 7:4, Job 37:7, Ps. 104:25, Isa. 22:18, Isa. 56:5.

All Israel, i.e. all the Israelites there present, or all those who seemed to flee away before.

The other; they who lay in ambush. So their late success was a real mischief to them, as being the occasion of their total ruin.

Reserving him to a peculiar and more ignominious punishment, for the terror of the other kings, who were the chief causes of all that opposition and disturbance which Israel met with in gaining the possession of the Promised Land.

i.e. The inhabitants of it, the men, who through age or infirmity were unfit for war, and the women, Josh. 8:25.

Not strictly, but largely so called, who were now in Ai, either as constant and settled inhabitants, or as sojourners, and such as came to them for their help, such as being confederate with them are esteemed as one with them; for it is evident that the men of Beth-el are included in this number,…

Either, 1. He ceased not to fight with that hand. Or, 2. He kept his hand and spear in the same posture, both stretched out and lifted up, as a sign both to encourage them, and to direct them to go on in the work. See Poole “Josh. 8:18”.

For ever, or, for a long time, as that word oft signifies, as Gen. 6:3, Isa. 42:14; for that it was after some ages rebuilt, may seem from Neh. 11:31, unless that were another city built near the former, there being some little difference in the name also.

He dealt more severely with the kings of Canaan than with the people, partly because the abominable wickedness of that people was not restrained and punished, (as it should have been,) but countenanced and encouraged by their evil examples and administrations; and partly because they were the…

Then, to wit, after the taking of Ai. For they were obliged to do this when they were brought over Jordan into the land of Canaan, Deut. 11:29, Deut. 27:2–3, which is not to be understood strictly, as if it were to be done the same moment or day; for it is manifest they were first to be…

Not upon the stones of the altar, which were to be rough and unpolished, Josh. 8:31, but upon other stones, smooth and plastered, as is manifest from Deut. 27:2.

All Israel, i.e. the whole congregation, old and young, male and female, as it follows, Josh. 8:35. On this side the ark, and on that side, i.e. some on one side of it, and some on the other.

Afterward; after the altar was built, and the stones plastered and writ upon. He read, i.e. he commanded the priests or Levites to read, Deut. 27:14. The blessings and cursings; which words come in not by way of explication, as if the words of the law were nothing else besides the blessings and…

There was not a word which Joshua read not; therefore he read not the blessings and curses only, as some think, but the whole law, as the manner was when all Israel, men and women, were assembled together, as we read, Deut. 31:10–12. That were conversant among them, i.e.