Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, Joshua · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
Verſ. 1. TAke all the people of warre with thee, and ariſe, go up to Ai, &c.] Though the citie of Ai were but ſmall, yet all the men of warre were now appointed to go up againſt it, both for the better heartning of the people in regard of their former aſtoniſhment and fear; as alſo, becauſe they were all to be imployed in taking the ſpoil of the city.
Verſ. 2. And thou ſhalt do to Ai and her King, as thou didſt unto Jericho and her King.] That is, as thou didſt burn the city of Jericho, and didſt ſlay the King and inhabitants thereof, ſo ſhalt thou alſo do to the city of Ai, the King and the inhabitants thereof. The meaning is not that the ſame ſhould be done in every particular as was done at Jericho (for we do not reade that the King of Jericho was hanged as the King of Ai was, nor that the rebuilding of Ai was forbidden under a curſe as the rebuilding of Jericho was) but that they ſhould utterly deſtroy the citie and the inhabitants as they did Jericho; indeed it may ſeem ſtrange, why the Lord enjoyned them to burn this citie alſo after they had taken the ſpoil thereof, and that becauſe the Lord had formerly promiſed the Iſraelites, that they ſhould dwell in their cities, and in their houſes, Deut. 19.1. nor do we reade that after this, they uſed to burn the cities, except it were Hazor, chap. 11.11. But for this, theſe two reaſons are given by Expoſitours, to wit, that God did ſo appoint it, firſt, becauſe as yet God would not have them poſſeſſe any fortified towns or cities, leſt they ſhould put confidence in the ſtrength of theſe places, and not wholly reſt and rely upon God: and ſecondly, becauſe the people being to be led further, to mount Ebal and mount Gerizim, God would not have them leave this city ſtanding behind them, leſt any of the inhabitants ſhould retire thither, and again fortifie the citie againſt them. As for the encouragement intimated in the mention that is here made of what they had done to Jericho, ſee the note upon a like paſſage in Deut. 3.2.
Verſ. 2. Lay thee an ambuſh for the citie behind it.] Herein alſo God had reſpect to the weakneſſe and foregoing fears of the people by giving them hope of vanquiſhing their enemies not by fine force in a pitched battel, but by this ſecret device and ſtratagem of warre.
Verſ. 3. So Joſhua aroſe and all the people of warre to go up against Ai, &c.] The relation which we have here of the courſe which Joſhua took for the ſurpriſing of Ai is very intricate, ſo that it is indeed very hard to ſay both what company of the Iſraelites went up againſt Ai, and how many of them were laid in ambuſh for the ſurpriſing of the citie, when Joſhua and thoſe that were with him made ſhew of flying before the men of Ai. For firſt, ſome expoſitours are of opinion that all the men of warre in Iſrael, (that is, all in a manner, all except ſome few that were left for the defence of the camp) went up with Joſhua againſt Ai, and that the night before he meant to make an aſſault upon the citie, he choſe out thirty thouſand of his ſouldiers whom he ſent away by night giving them in charge to lay themſelves in ambuſh in ſome convenient place behind the citie, which was on the weſt ſide of Ai, between Bethel and Ai, which they accordingly did, and that then very early the next morning Joſhua drew up all the reſt of the people that were with him, and pitched on a hill on the Northſide of Ai, and being there took other five thouſand men and laid them alſo in ambuſh between Bethel and Ai, as the other were, but (…ay they) more northerly and ſomewhat nearer his armie, conceiving that this ambuſh was not laid to ſurpriſe the citie and ſet it on fire as the other was, but for ſome other purpoſe, as happely to fall upon the backs of the enemie to prevent their flying away when Joſhua and thoſe that were with him ſhould turn head againſt them, &c. And indeed according to the plain order of the words this ſeems to have been the courſe that was taken; for here we ſee it is ſaid, that Joſhua aroſe and all the people of warre to go up against Ai, and that he choſe out thirty thouſand mighty men of valour, and ſent them away by night; and then it follows in the next verſe (which ſeems plainly to have relation to the thirty thouſand before mentioned) And he commanded them, ſaying, Behold ye ſhall lie in wait against the citie, even behind it, &c. and I and all the people that are with me will approch unto the citie, &c. and again, verſ. 9. Joſhua therefore ſent them forth, (which ſtill ſeems to be ſpoken of the thirty thouſand before mentioned) and they went to lie in ambuſh, and abode between Bethel and Ai on the weſt ſide of Ai. And then afterwards ſpeaking of that which Joſhua did the next morning, verſ. 10, 11, 12. it is ſaid, that Joſhua roſe up early in the morning, &c. and all the people of warre that were with him went up and drew nigh and came before the citie, and pitched on the north ſide of Ai, &c. and he took about five thouſand men and ſet them to lie in ambuſh between Bethel and Ai on the west ſide of the citie. So that according to the plain letter of the text no man could think at firſt reading but that there were two ambuſhes laid; one of thirty thouſand men, verſ. 3, 4. and another of about five thouſand verſ. 12. Well, but yet others and indeed the moſt and beſt of all Expoſitours do otherwiſe conceive, of that which is here written concerning the ſurpriſing of Ai, namely that Joſhua took onelyonly thirty thouſand in all with him to go againſt Ai, and that there was no other ambuſh laid between Bethel and Ai but that of the five thouſand mentioned verſ. 12. And the reaſons which move them thus to conceive of this paſſage of the ſtorie are very conſiderable, to wit, firſt, Becauſe had they carried all the men of warre of Iſrael againſt Ai, which were many hundred thouſands, it is not likely that the men of Ai would have adventured to ſallie out againſt them; ſecondly, Becauſe the place aſſigned for the ambuſh both verſ. 4. and verſ. 12. is the very ſame, to wit, the weſt ſide of Ai, between Bethel and Ai; nor can any probable reaſon be given either why two ſeverall ambuſhes ſhould be laid on the ſame ſide of the citie, or how ſuch a mighty number of armed men, as firſt thirtie thouſand, and then five thouſand ſhould conveniently be diſpoſed of to lie undiſcovered in two ſeverall ambuſhes between Ai and Bethel, a town near at hand and confederate with Ai; and thirdly, eſpecially, Becauſe there is no mention made in the ſequel of this ſtorie of any thing that was done for the ſurpriſall of Ai but onelyonly by one ambuſh, who when the men of Ai were purſuing the reſt of the Iſraelites came out, and on a ſudden took the citie, and ſet it on fire. Upon theſe grounds, I ſay, moſt that have written upon this place do hold that there was but one ambuſh laid, to wit, that of five thouſand men mentioned verſ. 12. So that according to this opinion of theirs, whereas it is ſaid here, that Joſhua choſe out thirty thouſand mighty men of valour, and ſent them away by night, and he commanded them, ſaying, Behold ye ſhall lie in wait againſt the citie, &c. The words muſt not be ſo underſtood as if he commanded all thoſe thirtie thouſand men to lie in ambuſh behind Ai, but that he commanded them that they ſhould lay ſome in ambuſh, to wit, the five thouſand mentioned afterward verſ. 12. And indeed this Expoſition I conceive to be the moſt probable; onelyonly becauſe it is ſo expreſſely ſaid verſ. 1. Take all the people of warre with thee and ariſe go up to Ai, and here again, So Joſhua aroſe and all the people of warre to go up againſt Ai, I cannot ſee how it can be denied that Joſhua carried the whole armie of Iſrael with him: ſo that thus I think we may beſt conceive of the whole carriage of this expedition againſt Ai, to wit, firſt, That Joſhua marched with all the men of warre from Gilgal till they were come ſo near it that they might the following night go up to the citie, verſ. 3. ſecondly, That he ſent away from thence that night verſ. 3, 4. thirty thouſand of his choiceſt men with a charge that taking the advantage of the night they ſhould lay an ambuſh behind the citie between Bethel and Ai, to wit, an ambuſh of five thouſand men, as is afterwards expreſſed verſ. 12. the other five and twentie thouſand being ſent with him, that they ſtaying ſome where not farre from them, might be able to encounter the enemie, in caſe the inhabitants of the citie ſhould diſcover them and come out with all their power againſt them; all which they did accordingly verſ. 9. and Joſhua lodged that night amongſt the reſt of the people. thirdly, That early the next morning before it was yet day Joſhua went up after this thirtie thouſand and pitched on the north ſide of Ai, (joyning happely now with the five and twentie thouſand that went along with thoſe that were to lie in ambuſh) but in a place where the men of Ai could not yet diſcover them, there being a valley between them and the Iſraelites, verſ. 10, 11. fourthly, Having thus ſet the ambuſh on the weſt ſide of the citie, and the bodie of the armie on the North, Joſhua went preſently before it was day into the midſt of the valley, verſ. 13. purpoſely that the men of Ai might ſee them, and therefore queſtionleſſe he carried with him into this valley but a ſmall party, that the inhabitants might be the readier to ſalley out againſt them, and fifthly, That when the men of Ai taking notice thereof, hereupon came out and ſet upon them, and were drawn off farre from the city, by the counterfeit flight of the Iſraelites, hereupon Joſhua made a ſtand, and ſet upon thoſe that purſued them, and withall the ambuſh roſe out of their place, ſurpriſed the city, and ſet it on fire.
Verſ. 7. And ye ſhall riſe up from the ambuſh, and ſeiſe upon the city.] To wit, upon a ſigne given them: concerning which, ſee the note upon verſ. 18.
Verſ. 10. And Joſhua roſe up early in the morning, and numbred the people.] Which it ſeems he did that when the people ſhould afterwards ſee that they had now vanquiſhed their enemies without any loſſe, they might be the more courageous and wholly overcome their former fears. See the note alſo upon verſ. 3.
Verſ. 11. And all the people, even the people of warre that were with him, went up and drew nigh and came before the citie, and pitched on the North ſide of Ai, &c.] They marched firſt forward on the Eaſt ſide of the citie, but then fetching a little compaſſe, pitched on the North ſide, becauſe that place was moſt convenient for them, and there they ſhould be the nearer to thoſe that were laid in ambuſh. See the note alſo upon verſ. 3.
Verſ. 12. And he took about five thouſand men, and ſet them to lie in ambuſh, &c.] See the note upon verſ. 3.
Verſ. 13. Joſhua went that night into the midſt of the valley.] That is, early in the morning when it was yet dark, verſ. 10. And Joſhua roſe up early in the morning and numbred the people. See alſo the note upon verſ. 3.
Verſ. 14. And the men of the city went out against Iſrael to battell, he and all his people at a time appointed, &c.] That is, they all came together at a time appointed from all the ſeverall parts of the city, and at the ſelf ſame time ruſhed all out together, and ſet upon the Iſraelites with great violence. When Joſhua came into the valley with that ſmall company he brought with him, he deſired there ſhould be notice taken of it, ſo that happely by the noiſe they made they might be diſcovered; whereof when word was brought to the King, he appointed that all the Garriſon ſouldiers in the city ſhould be in readineſſe at ſuch a time, that they might go out againſt the Iſraelites, and accordingly at the time appointed (which ſhews how forward they were by reaſon of their former victory) they were all met, and together with their King, did ſally forth and ſet upon them.
Verſ. 15. And Joſhua and all Iſrael made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderneſſe.] They fled doubtleſſe towards the body of their armie, which they had left on the hill beyond the plain where they now fled before the men of Ai. This wilderneſſe therefore here mentioned was it ſeems in that place, and we may probably conceive, that it was the wilderneſſe of Beth-aven; for that was nigh unto Bethel, chap. 18.12, 13.
Verſ. 16. And all the people that were in Ai were called together to purſue after them.] That is, all the ſouldiers, all that could bear arms: for that others were left in the city, is evident verſ. 24. All the Iſraelites returned unto Ai, and ſmote it with the edge of the ſword.
Verſ. 17. And there was not a man left in Ai, or Bethel, &c.] It ſeems Bethel being but a little town, and confederate with Ai, the inhabitants at the firſt approch of the Iſraelites, had forſaken it, as having no hope to be able to keep it, and had added their power to that of Ai, to make that the ſtronger. And hence Bethel is alſo mentioned with Ai, the text telling of us that there was not a man left, that is, a ſouldier, neither in Ai, or Bethel; becauſe from Bethel they were come to Ai, and now altogether were gone out in the purſuit of the Iſraelites. Yet if we conſider how cloſely the ambuſh of the Iſraelites might be laid in ſome woods, or ſome other places of covert betwixt Bethel and Ai, I ſee not why we may not conceive that the Garriſon of Ai, ſeeing the Iſraelites fly again, either by poſt ſent thither, or by ſome ſigne given them, called forth the men of Bethel to joyn with them in the purſuit of the Iſraelites. How Bethel came to be long after this in the poſſeſſion of the Canaanites, ſee the note upon Judg. 1.24.
Verſ. 18. And the Lord ſaid unto Joſhua, Stretch out the spear that is in thine hand towards Ai.] This God enjoyned him to do, as a ſigne to the people that they ſhould now make a ſtand, and with aſſurance that God would deliver the city into their hand, ſhould now again make head againſt the enemie, from whom they had ſeemed to fly; as even in theſe times, the captain ſtretching forth his ſpear or ſtaffe upon the face of the enemie, is a ſigne to the ſouldiers of reinforcing the battell.
Verſ. 19. And the ambuſh roſe quickly out of their place, and they ranne as ſoon as he had ſtretched out his hand.] How they that lay covertly in the ambuſh on the Weſt ſide of the city, ſhould among ſo many thouſand diſcern Joſhua his ſpear ſtretched out, now eſpecially when by a ſeeming flight they had drawn the enemie ſo farre from the city, I cannot conceive; and therefore I rather think that upon this ſigne given by Joſhua, his ſouldiers gave a ſhout, or the muſicall inſtruments gave warning, for reinforcing the battell, and hereby the ſpies knew it was time to enter the city.
Verſ. 19. And they haſted, and entered into the city and took it, and haſted and ſet it on fire.] That is, ſome houſe in the city, that by the ſmoke thereof, the Iſraelites might perceive the city was taken. See the following note.
Verſ 24. All the Iſraelites returned unto Ai, and ſmote it with the edge of the ſword.] That is, the men and women and children left in the city; for they had before onelyonly ſet fire on ſome one place of the city, that thereby it might be known they had taken it: but now upon Joſhuas coming, after they had ſlain thoſe in the field, they entered the city, ſlew all that were found in it, took away the ſpoyl, and then burnt the city wholly with fire to the ground, verſ. 28.
Verſ. 25. And ſo it was, that all that fell that day both of men and women were twelve thouſand, even all the men of Ai.] That is, ſay ſome Expoſitours, twelve thouſand of the men of Ai, beſides thoſe of Bethel, that joyned with the men of Ai, verſ. 17. againſt the Iſraelites, of whom how many were ſlain it is not expreſſed. But becauſe the number of the ſlain were taken by the Iſraelites, who could not diſtinguiſh betwixt thoſe of Ai, and thoſe of Bethel, even thoſe of Bethel might well be comprehended in thoſe words even all the men of Ai, becauſe they were ſlain in this expedition of the Iſraelites againſt Ai.
Verſ. 26. And Joſhua drew not his hand back, wherewith he ſtretched out the ſpear, &c.] But ſtill with his ſpear ſtretched forth led them on upon the chaſe and ſlaughter of their enemies.
Verſ. 28. And Joſhua burnt Ai, and made it a heap for ever, even a deſolation unto this day.] It is evident, that in the dayes of Nehemiah this citie Ai was built again, becauſe we find it named, Neh. 11.31. amongſt the cities that Benjamin dwelt in, though indeed it be not there called Ai, but Aijah; and therefore by this word for ever is meant onelyonly, as in many other places of Scripture, a long time. As for that clauſe, even a deſolation to this day, ſee the notes upon chap. 3.9.
Verſ. 29. And the King of Ai, he hanged upon a tree untill the even tide.] Joſhua was to execute Gods vengeance upon theſe inhabitants of Canaan: now as the kings were moſt deeply ingaged in the abominations of the land, through whoſe neglect of juſtice they became the more rife, ſo the greateſt ſeverity he ſtill ſhows againſt them.
And as ſoon as the ſunne was down, Joſhua commanded that they ſhould take his carcaſe down from the tree.] See the note upon Deut. 21.23.
And caſt it at the entring of the gate of the city, &c.] Where was the place of judgement, that the very place where he was buried with a heap of ſtones raiſed upon him might intimate the juſtice of God in thus puniſhing him that took no care to puniſh the wickedneſſe that was dayly committed amongſt his people.
Verſ. 30. Then Joſhua built an altar unto the Lord God of Iſrael in mount Ebal, &c.] That is, about this time. Moſes had before his death charged the Iſraelites that when they came into the land of Canaan they ſhould build a monument of great ſtones and write the law thereon, and that at the ſame time they ſhould build an altar of whole ſtones and offer ſacrifices thereon; and that on mount Gerizim and mount Ebal (where this was to be done) the people ſhould in a ſolemn manner give their conſent to certain bleſſings and curſes that ſhould be read in their hearing, as we may reade in the 27. Chapter of Deuteronomy. Here therefore the ſtory relates now how Joſhua did what Moſes had commanded them. But why did he do it now? or how could he do it now, ſince they were not yet come to mount Gerizim and mount Ebal? I anſwer: Some affirm that theſe mountains were nigh to Ai and Bethel; and others ſay, That though this ſtory be inſerted in this place, yet it was done long after the taking of Ai. But becauſe it is generally held (and not without juſt ground) that Gerizim was in the tribe of Ephraim; which was much further up into the countrey, and withall, that this word (then) immediately following the ſtory of taking Ai, Then Joſhua built an altar unto the Lord, &c. ſeems plainly to imply, that this was done much about this time; therefore I rather conceive that after the ſacking of Ai Joſhua finding the way to theſe mountains clear and open, by reaſon of the terrour wherewith the enemies were ſtricken, took this opportunity to go up with the people thither there to perform this ſervice, which upon the firſt opportunity they had, he knew they were bound to perform. And indeed we may well think that the deſtroying of theſe two towns of Jericho and Ai (the bulworks of their countrey on that ſide) did at firſt mightily diſmay the inhabitants, though within a while they began to combine themſelves together againſt the Iſraelites, as is related in the beginning of the following chapter. What is further neceſſary to be known concerning this monument of ſtones and the altar that was built with it, we may ſee in the notes upon the 11. and 27. chapters of Deuteronomy.
Verſ. 32. And he wrote there upon the ſtones a copy of the law of Moſes, &c.] Not the ſtones of the altar, but ſtones erected for that very purpoſe that the law might be written on them, as we may ſee Deuteronomy 27. where there is ſeverall directions given firſt for theſe ſtones, then for the altar.
Verſ. 33. Half of them over againſt mount Gerizim, and half of them over againſt mount Ebal, &c.] See the note upon Deut. 27.12.
Verſ. 34. And afterward he read all the word of the Law, &c.] That is, the Prieſts, by Moſes appointment: of which ſee again the note upon Deut. 27.12, 13.