The
Fall of Ai
And
the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take
all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have
given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and
his land: Jos. 8:1
the
LORD said... The
8th prophecy in Joshua (Jos. 8:1-2, fulfilled, Jos. 8:3-29). Next,
Jos. 8:18. Two predictions to Joshua:
1.
I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, city, and
land.
2.
You shall do to Ai and their king what you did to Jericho and their
king (Jos. 8:2).
neither
be thou... Six
commands—conquest of Ai:
1.
Fear not, neither be dismayed.
2.
Take all the people of war with you.
3.
Arise, go over to Ai.
4.
Do to Ai and their king what you did to Jericho and their king
(Jos_8:2).
5.
Only the spoil and cattle shall you take for yourselves.
6.
Lay an ambush for the city behind it.
take
all the...
This command was different from the advice of the spies (in Jos. 7:3)
who told Joshua to take only 2,000 or 3,000 men, suggesting they
could easily overcome the city.
And
thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her
king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take
for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind
it. Jos. 8:2
only
the spoil...
After Jericho, God let the spoils of war go to Israel, as provided in
the law (Num. 31:22-54).
shall
ye take... Before the actual plan of
battle was revealed to Joshua he was told that the spoil of Ai and
also its livestock could be taken by Israel. Jericho had been placed
under the ban but Ai was not.
What an irony! If only
Achan had suppressed his greedy and selfish desires and obeyed God’s
word at Jericho he would later have had all his heart desired and
God’s blessing too. The path of obedience and faith is always best.
So
Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and
Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them
away by night. Jos. 8:3
The order of events at
Ai differed entirely from that at Jericho. The Israelites did not
march around the walls of Ai seven times. The city’s walls did not
fall miraculously. Israel had to conquer the city through a normal
combat operation. God is not limited to any one method of working. He
is not and will not be stereotyped in His operations.
And
he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the
city, even
behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:
Jos. 8:4
he
commanded them...
Here is Joshua’s strategy for the next conquest (Jos. 8:4-8, Jos.
8:12-19). God Himself commanded this (Jos. 8:2).
shall
lie in... Three
commands—destruction of Ai:
1.
Lie in wait near the city and behind it and be ready.
2.
Rise up from ambush and seize the city (Jos. 8:7).
3.
When you have taken the city, set it on fire as God has commanded
(Jos. 8:8).
And
I, and all the people that are
with me, will approach unto the city: and it shall come to pass, when
they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before
them, Jos. 8:5
come
to pass... The strategy for the capture of Ai was ingenious. It
involved placing an ambush behind (west of) the city. God Himself had
told Joshua to do this (Jos. 8:2, 8:8).
(For
they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from the city;
for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: therefore we
will flee before them. Jos. 8:6
drawn
them from... The outworking of this plan involved three contingents
of soldiers. The first was a group of valiant warriors who were sent
by night to hide just west of the city of Ai. Their assignment was to
rush into the city and burn it after its defenders had deserted it to
pursue Joshua and his army.
Then
ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the
LORD your God will deliver it into your hand. Jos. 8:7
for
the LORD...
Joshua repeated what God had told him in Jos. 8:1-2, proving his
faith in God’s word.
And
it shall be, when ye have taken the city, that
ye shall set the city on fire: according to the commandment of the
LORD shall ye do. See, I have commanded you. Jos. 8:8
ye
have taken... The
commandment to set the city on fire throws further light on the
destruction of Jericho. Evidently, Jericho was also burned, for Jos.
8:2 says Israel should do to Ai and her king what they did to Jericho
and her king.
Joshua
therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in ambush, and abode
between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged that
night among the people. Jos. 8:9
sent
them forth...
This was the place of Abraham’s second altar after entering Canaan
some 470 years before (Gen. 12:7-8). Joshua built an altar in the
same vicinity (Jos. 8:30-35).
but
Joshua lodged...
Joshua stayed with the main body of the army, 35,000 having departed
to lie in ambush behind the city (Jos. 8:3-4, 8:12).
And
Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and
went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai. Jos.
8:10
and
numbered the...
Inspected or mustered the army ready to march and fight as planned
(Jos. 8:3-8).
elders
of Israel... The
elders of Israel included the heads of the tribes and others chosen
for the general council of the nation. They are first mentioned in
Exo. 3:16-18 and were prominent in all the events of Israel under
Moses, being referred to 42 times in the Pentateuch (Exo. 3:16-18;
4:29; 12:21; 17:5-6; 18:12; 19:7; 21:1-14; Lev. 4:15; 9:1; Num.
11:16-30; 16:25; 22:4-7; Deut. 5:23; 19:12; 21:2-20; 22:15-18;
25:7-9; 27:1; 29:10; 21:9,28; 32:7); 8 times under Joshua (Jos. 7:6;
8:10, 8:33; 9:11; 20:4; 23:2; 24:1, 24:31); only 3 times under the
judges, showing the disorganized state of Israel at that time (Jdg.
2:7; 1Sa. 4:3; 8:4); under the kings 35 times (1Sa. 15:30; 30:26;
2Sa. 3:17; 5:3; 17:4, 17:15; 19:11; 1Ki. 8:1-3; 20:7-8; 21:8-11; 2Ki.
6:32; 23:1; 1Ch. 11:3; 15:25; 21:16; 2Ch. 5:2-4; Psm. 107:32; Jer.
26:17; 29:1; Lam. 1:19; 2:10; 4:16; 5:12-14; Eze. 8:1; 14:1; 20:1-3;
Joel 1:14; 2:16); and in the gospel period 41 times (Mat. 15:2;
16:21; 21:23; 26:3-59; 27:1-41; 28:12; Mar. 7:3-5; 8:31; 11:27;
14:43, 14:53; 15:1; Luke 7:3; 9:22; 20:1; 22:52, 22:66; Act. 4:5,
4:8, 4:23; 22:5; 23:14; 25:15). Act. 14:23 regarding elders of the
church, In the early church elders were the ministers and deacons, or
preaching elders and business elders of the local churches.
And
all the people, even the people of war that were with
him, went up, and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on
the north side of Ai: now there was a valley between them and
Ai. Jos. 8:11
people
of war... No doubt this entire force included many thousands of
soldiers. Led by Joshua, this army was a diversionary force to decoy
the defenders of Ai out of the city.
now there was... The
second contingent was the main army which walked the 15 miles from
Gilgal late the night before and camped in plain view on the north
side of Ai.
And
he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush
between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city. Jos. 8:12
he
took about... This
was in addition to the 30,000 of Jos_8:3. The two groups could both
have been on the west side of the city, the 30,000 having gone ahead
of the main army and the 5,000 being sent later to take part in the
ambush and capture of Ai. The whole army came into the valley before
the city and stayed there the previous night (Jos. 8:11, 8:13-14).
They could not have stayed in Gilgal until the morning of the attack
for that would have meant a march of 4 to 6 hours to reach Ai, and
the king came out against Israel early in the morning (Jos. 8:13-14).
lie in ambush... The
third contingent was another ambush numbering 5,000 men who were
positioned between Bethel and Ai to cut off the possibility of
reinforcements from Bethel aiding the men of Ai. Joshua was in the
valley north of Ai, a deep ravine in the hills.
And
when they had set the people, even
all the host that was
on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the
city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley. Jos. 8:13
Joshua
went that... Joshua was in the valley north of Ai, a deep ravine in
the hills.
And
it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it,
that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out
against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed,
before the plain; but he wist not that there
were
liers in ambush against him behind the city. Jos. 8:14
came to pass... The
plan worked to perfection. When the king of Ai saw Israel’s army he
took the bait.
And
Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and
fled by the way of the wilderness. And
all the people that were
in Ai were called together to pursue after them: and they pursued
after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city.
Jos.
8:15, 16
and
all Israel... "All
Israel" here must be understood in a limited sense, for 35,000
were in other places (Jos. 8:3, 8:12), and some stayed in Gilgal to
protect the camp from attack. This helps us to understand "all
the people" in Jos. 8:1.
made as if... Ai
pursuing the Israelites who pretended defeat, the city of Ai was left
unguarded.
And
there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not out after
Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel. Jos.
8:17
there
was not...
This was very foolish, but perhaps such battle plans were unknown to
the Canaanites. It would have been wiser to leave the city protected
and closed.
And
the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is
in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua
stretched out the spear that he
had
in his hand toward the city. Jos. 8:18
And
the LORD...
The 9th prophecy in Joshua (Jos. 8:18, fulfilled, Jos. 8:20-26).
Next, Jos. 10:8.
Stretch
out the...
This was the sign for those in ambush to attack the city (Jos.
8:18-19).
And
the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as
he had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the city, and
took it, and hasted and set the city on fire. Jos. 8:19
the
ambush arose... At Joshua’s signal the other troops quickly entered
and set the city on fire.
And
when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the
smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to
flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness
turned back upon the pursuers. Jos. 8:20
men of Ai... The
consternation of the men of Ai was complete as they witnessed the
billows of flame and smoke rising into the sky. Before they could
gather their wits they were caught in a pincer movement of Israelite
soldiers and were destroyed.
And
when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city,
and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again, and
slew the men of Ai. Jos. 8:21
and
all Israel... "All
Israel" here refers to those following Joshua, not those
capturing Ai, or those in the camp at Gilgal, or on the other side of
Jordan (Jos. 8:3, 8:12, 8:21-22; 4:13).
And
the other issued out of the city against them; so they were in the
midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side: and they
smote them, so that they let none of them remain or escape. Jos. 8:22
so
they were...
By this strategy not one man of Israel was lost. None of Ai and
Bethel escaped, and 12,000 were killed (Jos. 8:22-26).
And
the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua. Jos. 8:23
And
the king...
It would have been interesting to see this defeated and proud king
brought before Joshua, the humble and rugged servant of God, who was
in every way a king himself.
And
it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the
inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased
them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until
they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and
smote it with the edge of the sword. Jos. 8:24
in
the field...
The Canaanites on the battlefield were destroyed first, then those in
the city, and finally the city was burned (Jos. 8:24-25, 8:28-29).
And
so
it was, that
all that fell that day, both of men and women, were
twelve thousand, even
all the men of Ai. Jos. 8:25
all
that fell...
Nothing is said of the children. According to the law, male children
and women who were not virgins were killed, while female children and
virgin women were spared as servants and wives for the Israelites
(Num. 31:17-18; Deut. 21:10-14).
For
Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear,
until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. Jos. 8:26
until
he had...
This was literally fulfilled (Deut. 7:2; 12:2; 20:17).
Only
the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto
themselves, according unto the word of the LORD which he commanded
Joshua. Jos. 8:27
Only
the cattle...
For this law see Num. 31:22-54.
word
of the... Joshua
gave this command in Jos. 8:2.
And
Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a
desolation unto this day. Jos. 8:28
burnt
Ai]
Just why some cities were destroyed and others spared is not clear
unless some were more notorious for idolatry and immorality, and God
wanted to make them monuments of His wrath on such sins. Ordinarily,
both cities and spoil were to be saved for Israel so that no new
cities would have to be built (Deut. 6:10-11; 19:1).
And
the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the
sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down
from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city,
and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto
this day. Jos. 8:29
king
of Ai... Hanging
was one method of capital punishment under the law (Deut. 21:22-23;
Gal. 3:13). The Septuagint says "double tree," which could
either have been a forked tree or an actual gallows. Either way, the
body was removed at sundown (cp. Eph. 4:26).
Eleven
Examples of Hanging
1.
Pharaoh’s baker (Gen. 40:19-23)
2.
Heads of rebellion in Israel (Num. 25:4)
3.
King of Ai (Jos. 8:29)
4.
Ahithophel (2Sa. 17:23)
5.
Sons of Saul (2Sa. 21:6-13)
6.
Bigthan and Teresh (Est. 2:21-23)
7.
Haman and sons (Est. 7:9-10; 8:7; 9:13-25)
8.
Judas Iscariot (Mat. 27:5)
9.
Christ (Mat. 23:39-43; Act. 5:30; 10:39; Gal. 3:13; 1Pe. 2:24)
10.
Two malefactors (Luke 23:39; cp. the hanging of others even after
they were dead, Jos. 10:26; 2Sa. 4:12; 2Sa. 21:12-13)
11.
Two thieves (Mat. 27:38)
heap
of stones...
It was customary to heap up stones as crude monuments of important
events (Jos. 7:26; 8:28-29; Gen. 31:46-52; Deut. 13:16; 2Sa.
18:17-18). It was also customary for travelers to continue throwing
stones on such heaps for criminals. Jews and Muslims for instance,
were in the habit of casting stones upon Absalom’s tomb which he
set up for himself in the king’s valley (2Sa. 18:18).
Joshua
Renews the Covenant
Then
Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal, Jos.
8:30
built
an altar... The solemn and significant religious ceremonies at this
location involved three things. First, an altar of uncut stones was
erected on Mount Ebal and sacrifices (consisting of burnt offerings
and fellowship offerings; cf. Lev. 1:1-17; 3:1-17) were offered to
the Lord. Jericho and Ai, in which false gods of the Canaanites were
worshiped, had fallen. Israel now publicly worshiped and proclaimed
her faith in the one true God.
As
Moses the servant of the LORD 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 hath lift up any
iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, and
sacrificed peace offerings. Jos. 8:31
As
Moses the... After the victory of Ai Joshua did a strange and
militarily foolish thing. Instead of securing the central sector of
the land with further victories he led the Israelites on a spiritual
pilgrimage. Why? Simply because Moses… had commanded it (Deut.
27:1-8).
Without
delay Joshua led the men, women, children, and cattle from their camp
at Gilgal northward up the Jordan Valley to the place specified, the
mountains of Ebal (Jos. 8:30) and Gerizim (Jos. 8:33) which are at
Shechem. The march of about 30 miles was not difficult or dangerous
since they passed through a sparsely populated area. But how did the
Israelites avoid a confrontation with the men of the city of Shechem,
a fortress which guarded the entrance to the valley between the
mountains?
The
Bible does not record every battle of the Conquest and the record of
the capture of Shechem may have been omitted. Or the city at that
time may have been in friendly hands or it may simply have
surrendered without resistance. But why was this location chosen?
These mountains are located in the geographic center of the land and
from either peak much of the Promised Land can be seen. Here then, in
a place that represented all the land, both at the time of entrance
into Canaan and also when his leadership was ending (cf. Jos. 24:1),
Joshua challenged the people to renew their covenant vows to the
Lord.
And
he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he
wrote in the presence of the children of Israel. Jos. 8:32
And
he wrote... Second, Joshua set up some large stones. On their
surfaces he wrote a copy of the Law of Moses. How much of the Law was
inscribed is not stated. Some suggest only the Ten Commandments were
written, while others think the stone inscription included the
contents of at least Deuteronomy 5-26. Archaeologists have discovered
similar inscribed pillars or stelae six to eight feet long in the
Middle East. And the Behistun Inscription in Iran is three times the
length of Deuteronomy.
And
all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood
on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites,
which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger,
as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount
Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the
servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the
people of Israel. Jos. 8:33
And
all Israel...
These mountains were only about 30 miles from Gilgal and 20 miles
from Ai, but through hostile country (Deut. 11:29). Nevertheless,
Joshua fulfilled Deut. 27:2, 27:4-14 as soon as possible,
demonstrating his zeal to perform religious duties in the face of
pressing affairs of conquest and dangers from surrounding enemies.
Soon after this the Gibeonites surrendered (Jos. 9:1-27) and all of
Israel was in the hands of Israel (Jos. 10:1-11:24).
And
afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and
cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law.
Jos. 8:34
And
afterward he...
After blessing Israel, Joshua read all the words of the law to
them—both the blessings and the curses.
in
the book... This
proves that the Pentateuch was originally written as one book, not
five.
There
was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not
before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little
ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them. Jos. 8:35
There
was not... Every word of the book of the law of Moses
was read to Israel at this time.
the
little ones... This is a
good example to parents who think that small children do not
understand long sermons or Scripture readings. Children understand
more than parents think they do. Due to their simplicity of faith and
not being influenced by various interpretations previously heard,
they often understand better and retain more of the truth than some
of the adults.
