Joshua 8:19

_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._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

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....

Verse Joshua 8:19. _SET THE CITY ON FIRE._] Joshua 8:8....

EXPOSITION THE CAPTURE OF AI.— JOSHUA 8:1 FEAR NOT. Joshua was down cast at his former failure, and well he might. "Treacherous Israelites are to be dreaded more than malicious Canaanites" (Matthew Henry). TAKE ALL THE PEOPLE OF WAX WITH THEE. Not, as has been before stated, because 3,000 men were too few to take the city, for the capture of Jericho was a far greater marvel than that of Ai with this number of men. The true reason is indicated by Calvin, and is indeed suggested by the words "Fear not, neither be thou dismayed." It was to reassure the people, whose hearts had "melted and become as water." Sometimes God calls upon His people for a display of faith, as when He led them through the Jordan, or commanded them to compass Jericho seven days. But

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 th...

8. THE OVERTHROW OF AI CHAPTER 8 _ 1. The advance commanded (Joshua 8:1)_ 2. The strategy of Joshua (Joshua 8:3) 3. Ai's defeat (Joshua 8:14) 4. Joshua's obedience (Joshua 8:30) Sin confessed, judged and put away restored communion with the Lord. If any burden remained upon the mind of Joshua, it was removed by the repeated words of comfort and cheer. “Fear not, neither be thou dismayed.” The failure is no longer mentioned, but instead, comfort and assurance is given and victory promised. He deals in the same gracious way with us, whenever we have failed and humbled ourselves before Him in self-judgment. H

CAPTURE OF AI. Here we have the second and the successful attempt to take Ai. That two accounts have been combined is obvious. In Joshua 8:3 Joshua sends 30,000 men as an ambuscade against the city; in Joshua 8:12, he sends 5000 men. No doubt 30,000 is an error for 3000. The writer of 20, who tells us that the whole population of Ai was 12,000, is also the writer of Joshua 8:3. We may take it that he was far more likely to write 3000 than 30,000. In Joshua 8:17 the words and Bethel are an unintelligent insertion of a late editor. They are not in the LXX, and if the ambush was between Bethel and Ai, it is difficult to see how the inhabitants of Bethel could com

SPEAR. a short javelin. First occurrence of Hebrew. _kidon._...

_VER._ 19. _AND THE AMBUSH AROSE QUICKLY,_ &C.— Some find it difficult to understand how they could perceive Joshua stretch out his standard, as they must have been at a very great distance, and among the neighbouring mountains. Masius answers, that they were divinely informed of it. We may add, that, Joshua having settled with them respecting this signal, they had posted persons to observe it, and inform them either by sound of trumpet, or otherwise. On their entrance into Ai, finding no resistance, they set fire to some houses in it, so situated that the smoke might be most easily discerned by the army. REFLECTIONS.—We may here observe, 1. The conduct and prudence, the courage and caution, of the general. The ambush is regulated by his orders; he is by night in the valley, probably to choose the proper place for their concealment, perhaps to be alone with God in prayer for success. Not...

_The Conquest of Ai Joshua 8:9-29_ 9Joshua therefore sent them forth; and they went to lie in ambush, and abode behind Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged that night among the people. 10 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. 11 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. 12 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. 13 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. 14 And it came to pass, whe