Joshua 7:5

_AND THE MEN OF AI SMOTE OF THEM ABOUT THIRTY AND SIX MEN: FOR THEY CHASED THEM FROM BEFORE THE GATE EVEN UNTO SHEBARIM, AND SMOTE THEM IN THE GOING DOWN: WHEREFORE THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE MELTED, AND BECAME AS WATER._ Chased them ... even unto Shebarim - i:e., unto the 'breakings' or 'fissures' at the opening of the passes. But Gesenius renders Shebarim 'even unto the ruins-breaches of walls' (cf. Isaiah 30:13). The Septuagint omits the words entirely. AND SMOTE THEM IN THE GOING DOWN - i:e., the declivity or slope of the deep, rugged adjoining wady. [Septuagint, apo tou kataferous, from the (top of) the declivity.] WHEREFORE THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE MELTED. It is evident that the troops engaged were a tumultuary, undisciplined band, no better skilled in military affairs than the Bedonin Arabs, who become disheartened and flee on the loss of 1

1-5 Achan took some of the spoil of Jericho. The love of the world is that root of bitterness, which of all others is most hardly rooted up. We should take heed of sin ourselves, lest by it many be defiled or disquieted, Hebrews 12:15; and take heed of having fellowship with sinners, lest we share their guilt. It concerns us to watch over one another to prevent sin, because others' sins may be to our damage. The easy conquest of Jericho excited contempt of the enemy, and a disposition to expect the Lord to do all for them without their using proper means. Thus men abuse the doctrines of Divine grace, and the promises of God, into excuses for their own sloth and self-indulgence. We are to work out our own salvation, though it is God that works in us. It was a dear victory to the Canaanites, whereby Israel was awakened and reformed, and reconciled to their God, and the people of Canaan ha...

Verse Joshua 7:5. _THEY CHASED THEM_ FROM _BEFORE THE GATE_ EVEN _UNTO_ _SHEBARIM_] They seem to have presumed that the men of _Ai_ would have immediately opened their gates to them, and therefore they marched up with confidence; but the enemy appearing, they were put to flight, their _ranks utterly broken_, and thirty-six of them killed. שברים _Shebarim_ signifies _breaches_ or _broken places_, and may here apply to the _ranks_ of the Israelites, which were _broken_ by the men of _Ai_; for the people were totally routed, though there were but few slain. They were panic-struck, and fled in the utmost confusion. _THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE MELTED_] They were utterly discouraged; and by this gave an ample proof that without the supernatural assistance of God they could nev

SHEBARIM - Rather, perhaps, “the stone quarries.” The smallness of the slaughter among the Israelites indicates that they fled early, probably without real conflict in battle....

EXPOSITION THE DEFEAT BEFORE AI.— JOSHUA 7:1 COMMITTED A TRESPASS IN THE ACCURSED THING. The word מָעַל, here used, signifies originally to _cover, _whence מְעִיל a garment. Hence it comes to mean to act deceitfully, or perhaps to steal (cf. the LXX. ἐνοσφίσαντο_, _a_ _translation rendered remarkable by the fact that it is the very word used by St. Luke in regard to the transgression of Ananias and Sapphira. But the LXX. is hare rather a paraphrase than a translation). It is clearly used here of some _secret _act. But in Le Joshua 5:15 it is used of an _unwitting _trespass, committed בִּשְׁגָגָה, in error of fact, but no

AND THE MEN OF AI SMOTE OF THEM ABOUT THIRTY AND SIX MEN,.... In the pursuit of them, which were but few, but a sufficient rebuke of Providence; their loss was but small, but their shame and disgrace great: FOR THEY CHASED THEM [FROM] BEFORE THE GATE; the gate of the city of Ai: [EVEN] UNTO SHEBARIM; not that there was a place of this name before, but it was so called from hence, because there they were broken, as Kimchi observes; and the Targum and Jarchi render it, "until they were broken,'' their lines broken, not being able to retreat in order, but were scattered, and fled to their camp as they could: Gussetius q thinks it was the; name of a place, but not so called for the above reason, but because there lay broken pieces of the rock scattered about: AND SMOTE THEM IN THE GOING DOWN; the hill from Ai; "Morad", rendered "going down", may taken for the proper name of a place, and...

7. ACHAN'S SIN AND ISRAEL'S DEFEAT CHAPTER 7 _ 1. The defeat of Israel (Joshua 7:1)_ 2. The source of the defeat revealed (Joshua 7:6) 3. The transgressor found out (Joshua 7:16) 4. The judgment of Achan (Joshua 7:24) The insignificant place Ai brings defeat. Joshua sent men to view Ai. What authority was given to him to do so? There was no need to send spies once more, for the Lord had said, that the whole land was given to them. They report Ai a place without walls and recommend that only two or three thousand men be sent up. Defeat follows. Ai means “ruins.” It is mentioned for the first time in...

VII. ACHAN'S TRESPASS, ISRAEL'S DEFEAT, ACHAN'S PUNISHMENT. Joshua 7:1. The name should probably be Achar. The narrative presents no difficulties till the end of the chapter, where Achan's punishment is recorded. Joshua 7:2. Ai: probably 2 miles SE. of Bethel (p. 31). Joshua 7:9. And what wilt thou do for (or on account of) THY GREAT NAME? The meaning is that if Israel is destroyed there will be none to worship Yahweh; an interesting example of the ancient belief in the close connexion between the deity and his worshippers. Joshua 7:19. GIVE. LORD: _ i.e_., tell the truth, _cf._...

MELTED. became as water. Figure of speech _Hyperbole._ App-6....

_unto Shebarim_ So called, perhaps, from THE MINES, or STONE QUARRIES, which lay in the neighbourhood. The LXX. translates "_till they had crushed_or _annihilated them_." _in the going down_ Or, as in the margin, _in Morad_. If we retain the translation in the text, "the going down" would point to a spot, about a mile distant, "where the wâdies, descending from Ai, take their final plunge eastwards." _the hearts of the people melted_ Comp. Deuteronomy 1:28; Joshua 2:11. "And the herte of the puple myche dredde, and at the lickenesse of water is molten," Wyclif....