1 וַיֹּאמֶרH559 יְהוָהH3068 אֶלH413 יְהוֹשֻׁעַH3091 אַלH408 תִּירָאH3372 וְאַלH408 תֵּחָתH2865 קַחH3947 עִמְּךָH5973 אֵתH853 כָּלH3605 עַםH5971 הַמִּלְחָמָהH4421 וְקוּםH6965 עֲלֵהH5927 הָעָיH5857 רְאֵהH7200 נָתַתִּיH5414 בְיָדְךָH3027 אֶתH853 מֶלֶךְH4428 הָעַיH5857 וְאֶתH853 עַמּוֹH5971 וְאֶתH853 עִירוֹH5892 וְאֶתH853 אַרְצֽוֹH776
2 וְעָשִׂיתָH6213 לָעַיH5857 וּלְמַלְכָּהּH4428 כַּאֲשֶׁרH834 עָשִׂיתָH6213 לִֽירִיחוֹH3405 וּלְמַלְכָּהּH4428 רַקH7535 שְׁלָלָהּH7998 וּבְהֶמְתָּהּH929 תָּבֹזּוּH962 לָכֶםH0 שִׂיםH7760 לְךָH0 אֹרֵבH693 לָעִירH5892 מֵאַחֲרֶֽיהָH310
3 וַיָּקָםH6965 יְהוֹשֻׁעַH3091 וְכָלH3605 עַםH5971 הַמִּלְחָמָהH4421 לַעֲלוֹתH5927 הָעָיH5857 וַיִּבְחַרH977 יְהוֹשֻׁעַH3091 שְׁלֹשִׁיםH7970 אֶלֶףH505 אִישׁH376 גִּבּוֹרֵיH1368 הַחַיִלH2428 וַיִּשְׁלָחֵםH7971 לָֽיְלָהH3915
4 וַיְצַוH6680 אֹתָםH853 לֵאמֹרH559 רְאוּH7200 אַתֶּםH859 אֹרְבִיםH693 לָעִירH5892 מֵאַחֲרֵיH310 הָעִירH5892 אַלH408 תַּרְחִיקוּH7368 מִןH4480 הָעִירH5892 מְאֹדH3966 וִהְיִיתֶםH1961 כֻּלְּכֶםH3605 נְכֹנִֽיםH3559
5 וַאֲנִיH589 וְכָלH3605 הָעָםH5971 אֲשֶׁרH834 אִתִּיH854 נִקְרַבH7126 אֶלH413 הָעִירH5892 וְהָיָהH1961 כִּֽיH3588 יֵצְאוּH3318 לִקְרָאתֵנוּH7125 כַּאֲשֶׁרH834 בָּרִֽאשֹׁנָהH7223 וְנַסְנוּH5127 לִפְנֵיהֶֽםH6440
6 וְיָצְאוּH3318 אַחֲרֵינוּH310 עַדH5704 הַתִּיקֵנוּH5423 אוֹתָםH853 מִןH4480 הָעִירH5892 כִּיH3588 יֹֽאמְרוּH559 נָסִיםH5127 לְפָנֵינוּH6440 כַּאֲשֶׁרH834 בָּרִֽאשֹׁנָהH7223 וְנַסְנוּH5127 לִפְנֵיהֶֽםH6440
7 וְאַתֶּםH859 תָּקֻמוּH6965 מֵהָאוֹרֵבH693 וְהוֹרַשְׁתֶּםH3423 אֶתH853 הָעִירH5892 וּנְתָנָהּH5414 יְהוָהH3068 אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶםH430 בְּיֶדְכֶֽםH3027
8 וְהָיָהH1961 כְּתָפְשְׂכֶםH8610 אֶתH853 הָעִירH5892 תַּצִּיתוּH3341 אֶתH853 הָעִירH5892 בָּאֵשׁH784 כִּדְבַרH1697 יְהוָהH3068 תַּעֲשׂוּH6213 רְאוּH7200 צִוִּיתִיH6680 אֶתְכֶֽםH853
9 וַיִּשְׁלָחֵםH7971 יְהוֹשֻׁעַH3091 וַיֵּֽלְכוּH1980 אֶלH413 הַמַּאְרָבH3993 וַיֵּשְׁבוּH3427 בֵּיןH996 בֵּֽיתH0 אֵלH1008 וּבֵיןH996 הָעַיH5857 מִיָּםH3220 לָעָיH5857 וַיָּלֶןH3885 יְהוֹשֻׁעַH3091 בַּלַּיְלָהH3915 הַהוּאH1931 בְּתוֹךְH8432 הָעָֽםH5971
10 וַיַּשְׁכֵּםH7925 יְהוֹשֻׁעַH3091 בַּבֹּקֶרH1242 וַיִּפְקֹדH6485 אֶתH853 הָעָםH5971 וַיַּעַלH5927 הוּאH1931 וְזִקְנֵיH2205 יִשְׂרָאֵלH3478 לִפְנֵיH6440 הָעָםH5971 הָעָֽיH5857
11 וְכָלH3605 הָעָםH5971 הַמִּלְחָמָהH4421 אֲשֶׁרH834 אִתּוֹH854 עָלוּH5927 וַֽיִּגְּשׁוּH5066 וַיָּבֹאוּH935 נֶגֶדH5048 הָעִירH5892 וַֽיַּחֲנוּH2583 מִצְּפוֹןH6828 לָעַיH5857 וְהַגַּיH1516 בינוH996 בֵּינָיוH996 וּבֵיןH996 הָעָֽיH5857
12 וַיִּקַּחH3947 כַּחֲמֵשֶׁתH2568 אֲלָפִיםH505 אִישׁH376 וַיָּשֶׂםH7760 אוֹתָםH853 אֹרֵבH693 בֵּיןH996 בֵּֽיתH0 אֵלH1008 וּבֵיןH996 הָעַיH5857 מִיָּםH3220 לָעִֽירH5892
13 וַיָּשִׂימוּH7760 הָעָםH5971 אֶתH853 כָּלH3605 הַֽמַּחֲנֶהH4264 אֲשֶׁרH834 מִצְּפוֹןH6828 לָעִירH5892 וְאֶתH853 עֲקֵבוֹH6119 מִיָּםH3220 לָעִירH5892 וַיֵּלֶךְH1980 יְהוֹשֻׁעַH3091 בַּלַּיְלָהH3915 הַהוּאH1931 בְּתוֹךְH8432 הָעֵֽמֶקH6010
14 וַיְהִיH1961 כִּרְאוֹתH7200 מֶֽלֶךְH4428 הָעַיH5857 וַֽיְמַהֲרוּH4116 וַיַּשְׁכִּימוּH7925 וַיֵּצְאוּH3318 אַנְשֵֽׁיH582 הָעִירH5892 לִקְרַֽאתH7125 יִשְׂרָאֵלH3478 לַֽמִּלְחָמָהH4421 הוּאH1931 וְכָלH3605 עַמּוֹH5971 לַמּוֹעֵדH4150 לִפְנֵיH6440 הָֽעֲרָבָהH6160 וְהוּאH1931 לֹאH3808 יָדַעH3045 כִּֽיH3588 אֹרֵבH693 לוֹH0 מֵאַחֲרֵיH310 הָעִֽירH5892
15 וַיִּנָּֽגְעוּH5060 יְהוֹשֻׁעַH3091 וְכָלH3605 יִשְׂרָאֵלH3478 לִפְנֵיהֶםH6440 וַיָּנֻסוּH5127 דֶּרֶךְH1870 הַמִּדְבָּֽרH4057
16 וַיִּזָּעֲקוּH2199 כָּלH3605 הָעָםH5971 אֲשֶׁרH834 בעירH5892 בָּעַיH5892 לִרְדֹּףH7291 אַחֲרֵיהֶםH310 וַֽיִּרְדְּפוּH7291 אַחֲרֵיH310 יְהוֹשֻׁעַH3091 וַיִּנָּתְקוּH5423 מִןH4480 הָעִֽירH5892
17 וְלֹֽאH3808 נִשְׁאַרH7604 אִישׁH376 בָּעַיH5857 וּבֵיתH0 אֵלH1008 אֲשֶׁרH834 לֹֽאH3808 יָצְאוּH3318 אַחֲרֵיH310 יִשְׂרָאֵלH3478 וַיַּעַזְבוּH5800 אֶתH853 הָעִירH5892 פְּתוּחָהH6605 וַֽיִּרְדְּפוּH7291 אַחֲרֵיH310 יִשְׂרָאֵֽלH3478
18 וַיֹּאמֶרH559 יְהוָהH3068 אֶלH413 יְהוֹשֻׁעַH3091 נְטֵהH5186 בַּכִּידוֹןH3591 אֲשֶׁרH834 בְּיָֽדְךָH3027 אֶלH413 הָעַיH5857 כִּיH3588 בְיָדְךָH3027 אֶתְּנֶנָּהH5414 וַיֵּטH5186 יְהוֹשֻׁעַH3091 בַּכִּידוֹןH3591 אֲשֶׁרH834 בְּיָדוֹH3027 אֶלH413 הָעִֽירH5892
19 וְהָאוֹרֵבH693 קָםH6965 מְהֵרָהH4120 מִמְּקוֹמוֹH4725 וַיָּרוּצוּH7323 כִּנְטוֹתH5186 יָדוֹH3027 וַיָּבֹאוּH935 הָעִירH5892 וַֽיִּלְכְּדוּהָH3920 וַֽיְמַהֲרוּH4116 וַיַּצִּיתוּH3341 אֶתH853 הָעִירH5892 בָּאֵֽשׁH784
20 וַיִּפְנוּH6437 אַנְשֵׁיH376 הָעַיH5857 אַחֲרֵיהֶםH310 וַיִּרְאוּH7200 וְהִנֵּהH2009 עָלָהH5927 עֲשַׁןH6227 הָעִירH5892 הַשָּׁמַיְמָהH8064 וְלֹאH3808 הָיָהH1961 בָהֶםH0 יָדַיִםH3027 לָנוּסH5127 הֵנָּהH2008 וָהֵנָּהH2008 וְהָעָםH5971 הַנָּסH5127 הַמִּדְבָּרH4057 נֶהְפַּךְH2015 אֶלH413 הָרוֹדֵֽףH7291
21 וִיהוֹשֻׁעַH3091 וְכָֽלH3605 יִשְׂרָאֵלH3478 רָאוּH7200 כִּֽיH3588 לָכַדH3920 הָֽאֹרֵבH693 אֶתH853 הָעִירH5892 וְכִיH3588 עָלָהH5927 עֲשַׁןH6227 הָעִירH5892 וַיָּשֻׁבוּH7725 וַיַּכּוּH5221 אֶתH853 אַנְשֵׁיH582 הָעָֽיH5857
22 וְאֵלֶּהH428 יָצְאוּH3318 מִןH4480 הָעִירH5892 לִקְרָאתָםH7125 וַיִּֽהְיוּH1961 לְיִשְׂרָאֵלH3478 בַּתָּוֶךְH8432 אֵלֶּהH428 מִזֶּהH2088 וְאֵלֶּהH428 מִזֶּהH2088 וַיַּכּוּH5221 אוֹתָםH853 עַדH5704 בִּלְתִּיH1115 הִשְׁאִֽירH7604 לוֹH0 שָׂרִידH8300 וּפָלִֽיטH6412
23 וְאֶתH853 מֶלֶךְH4428 הָעַיH5857 תָּפְשׂוּH8610 חָיH2416 וַיַּקְרִבוּH7126 אֹתוֹH853 אֶלH413 יְהוֹשֻֽׁעַH3091
24 וַיְהִיH1961 כְּכַלּוֹתH3615 יִשְׂרָאֵלH3478 לַהֲרֹגH2026 אֶתH853 כָּלH3605 יֹשְׁבֵיH3427 הָעַיH5857 בַּשָּׂדֶהH7704 בַּמִּדְבָּרH4057 אֲשֶׁרH834 רְדָפוּםH7291 בּוֹH0 וַֽיִּפְּלוּH5307 כֻלָּםH3605 לְפִיH6310 חֶרֶבH2719 עַדH5704 תֻּמָּםH8552 וַיָּשֻׁבוּH7725 כָלH3605 יִשְׂרָאֵלH3478 הָעַיH5857 וַיַּכּוּH5221 אֹתָהּH853 לְפִיH6310 חָֽרֶבH2719
25 וַיְהִיH1961 כָלH3605 הַנֹּפְלִיםH5307 בַּיּוֹםH3117 הַהוּאH1931 מֵאִישׁH376 וְעַדH5704 אִשָּׁהH802 שְׁנֵיםH8147 עָשָׂרH6240 אָלֶףH505 כֹּלH3605 אַנְשֵׁיH376 הָעָֽיH5857
26 וִיהוֹשֻׁעַH3091 לֹֽאH3808 הֵשִׁיבH7725 יָדוֹH3027 אֲשֶׁרH834 נָטָהH5186 בַּכִּידוֹןH3591 עַדH5704 אֲשֶׁרH834 הֶחֱרִיםH2763 אֵתH853 כָּלH3605 יֹשְׁבֵיH3427 הָעָֽיH5857
27 רַקH7535 הַבְּהֵמָהH929 וּשְׁלַלH7998 הָעִירH5892 הַהִיאH1931 בָּזְזוּH962 לָהֶםH1992 יִשְׂרָאֵלH3478 כִּדְבַרH1697 יְהוָהH3068 אֲשֶׁרH834 צִוָּהH6680 אֶתH853 יְהוֹשֻֽׁעַH3091
28 וַיִּשְׂרֹףH8313 יְהוֹשֻׁעַH3091 אֶתH853 הָעָיH5857 וַיְשִׂימֶהָH7760 תֵּלH8510 עוֹלָםH5769 שְׁמָמָהH8077 עַדH5704 הַיּוֹםH3117 הַזֶּֽהH2088
29 וְאֶתH853 מֶלֶךְH4428 הָעַיH5857 תָּלָהH8518 עַלH5921 הָעֵץH6086 עַדH5704 עֵתH6256 הָעָרֶבH6153 וּכְבוֹאH935 הַשֶּׁמֶשׁH8121 צִוָּהH6680 יְהוֹשֻׁעַH3091 וַיֹּרִידוּH3381 אֶתH853 נִבְלָתוֹH5038 מִןH4480 הָעֵץH6086 וַיַּשְׁלִיכוּH7993 אוֹתָהּH853 אֶלH413 פֶּתַחH6607 שַׁעַרH8179 הָעִירH5892 וַיָּקִימוּH6965 עָלָיוH5921 גַּלH1530 אֲבָנִיםH68 גָּדוֹלH1419 עַדH5704 הַיּוֹםH3117 הַזֶּֽהH2088
30 אָזH227 יִבְנֶהH1129 יְהוֹשֻׁעַH3091 מִזְבֵּחַH4196 לַֽיהוָהH3068 אֱלֹהֵיH430 יִשְׂרָאֵלH3478 בְּהַרH2022 עֵיבָֽלH5858
31 כַּאֲשֶׁרH834 צִוָּהH6680 מֹשֶׁהH4872 עֶֽבֶדH5650 יְהוָהH3068 אֶתH853 בְּנֵיH1121 יִשְׂרָאֵלH3478 כַּכָּתוּבH3789 בְּסֵפֶרH5612 תּוֹרַתH8451 מֹשֶׁהH4872 מִזְבַּחH4196 אֲבָנִיםH68 שְׁלֵמוֹתH8003 אֲשֶׁרH834 לֹֽאH3808 הֵנִיףH5130 עֲלֵיהֶןH5921 בַּרְזֶלH1270 וַיַּעֲלוּH5927 עָלָיוH5921 עֹלוֹתH5930 לַֽיהוָהH3068 וַֽיִּזְבְּחוּH2076 שְׁלָמִֽיםH8002
32 וַיִּכְתָּבH3789 שָׁםH8033 עַלH5921 הָאֲבָנִיםH68 אֵתH853 מִשְׁנֵהH4932 תּוֹרַתH8451 מֹשֶׁהH4872 אֲשֶׁרH834 כָּתַבH3789 לִפְנֵיH6440 בְּנֵיH1121 יִשְׂרָאֵֽלH3478
33 וְכָלH3605 יִשְׂרָאֵלH3478 וּזְקֵנָיוH2205 וְשֹׁטְרִיםH7860 וְשֹׁפְטָיוH8199 עֹמְדִיםH5975 מִזֶּהH2088 וּמִזֶּהH2088 לָאָרוֹןH727 נֶגֶדH5048 הַכֹּהֲנִיםH3548 הַלְוִיִּםH3881 נֹשְׂאֵיH5375 אֲרוֹןH727 בְּרִיתH1285 יְהוָהH3068 כַּגֵּרH1616 כָּֽאֶזְרָחH249 חֶצְיוֹH2677 אֶלH413 מוּלH4136 הַרH2022 גְּרִזִיםH1630 וְהַֽחֶצְיוֹH2677 אֶלH413 מוּלH4136 הַרH2022 עֵיבָלH5858 כַּאֲשֶׁרH834 צִוָּהH6680 מֹשֶׁהH4872 עֶֽבֶדH5650 יְהוָהH3068 לְבָרֵךְH1288 אֶתH853 הָעָםH5971 יִשְׂרָאֵלH3478 בָּרִאשֹׁנָֽהH7223
34 וְאַֽחֲרֵיH310 כֵןH3651 קָרָאH7121 אֶתH853 כָּלH3605 דִּבְרֵיH1697 הַתּוֹרָהH8451 הַבְּרָכָהH1293 וְהַקְּלָלָהH7045 כְּכָלH3605 הַכָּתוּבH3789 בְּסֵפֶרH5612 הַתּוֹרָֽהH8451
35 לֹֽאH3808 הָיָהH1961 דָבָרH1697 מִכֹּלH3605 אֲשֶׁרH834 צִוָּהH6680 מֹשֶׁהH4872 אֲשֶׁרH834 לֹֽאH3808 קָרָאH7121 יְהוֹשֻׁעַH3091 נֶגֶדH5048 כָּלH3605 קְהַלH6951 יִשְׂרָאֵלH3478 וְהַנָּשִׁיםH802 וְהַטַּףH2945 וְהַגֵּרH1616 הַהֹלֵךְH1980 בְּקִרְבָּֽםH7130
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 GOD ENCOURAGES JOSHUA. (Jos. 8:1-28)
The Lord said unto Joshua, Fear not--By the execution of justice on Achan, the divine wrath was averted, the Israelites were reassured, defeat was succeeded by victory; and thus the case of Ai affords a striking example of God's disciplinary government, in which chastisements for sin are often made to pave the way for the bestowment of those temporal benefits, which, on account of sin, have been withdrawn, or withheld for a time. Joshua, who had been greatly dispirited, was encouraged by a special communication promising him (see
Josh 1:6;
Deut 31:6-
Deut 31:8) success in the next attempt, which, however, was to be conducted on different principles.
take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai--The number of fighting men amounted to six hundred thousand, and the whole force was ordered on this occasion, partly because the spies, in their self-confidence, had said that a few were sufficient to attack the place (
Josh 7:3), partly to dispel any misgivings which the memory of the late disaster might have created, and partly that the circumstance of the first spoil obtained in Canaan being shared among all, might operate both as a reward for obedience in refraining from the booty of Jericho, and as an incentive to future exertions (
Deut 6:10). The rest of the people, including the women and children, remained in the camp at Gilgal. Being in the plains of Jericho, it was an ascent to Ai, which was on a hill.
I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land . . . lay thee an ambush for the city--God assured Joshua of Ai's capture, but allowed him to follow his own tactics in obtaining the possession.
3 So Joshua . . . chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour--Joshua despatched thirty thousand men under cover of night, to station themselves at the place appointed for the ambuscade. Out of this number a detachment of five thousand was sent forward to conceal themselves in the immediate precincts of the town, in order to seize the first opportunity of throwing themselves into it [
Josh 8:12].
4 behind the city--is rendered (
Josh 8:9), "on the west side of Ai."
9 between Beth-el and Ai--Beth-el, though lying quite near in the direction of west by north, cannot be seen from Tell-el-hajar; two rocky heights rise between both places, in the wady El-Murogede, just as the laying of an ambush to the west of Ai would require [VAN DE VELDE; ROBINSON].
10 Joshua . . . numbered the people--that is, the detachment of liers-in-wait; he did this, to be furnished with clear evidence afterwards, that the work had been done without any loss of men, whereby the people's confidence in God would be strengthened and encouragement given them to prosecute the war of invasion with vigor.
he and the elders of Israel--the chief magistrates and rulers, whose presence and official authority were necessary to ensure that the cattle and spoil of the city might be equally divided between the combatants and the rest of the people (
Num 31:27) --a military rule in Israel, that would have been very liable to be infringed, if an excited soldiery, eager for booty, had been left to their own will.
11 there was a valley between them and Ai--literally, "the valley."
13 Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley--The deep and steep-sided glen to the north of Tell-el-hajar, into which one looks down from the tell, fully agrees with this account [VAN DE VELDE]. Joshua himself took up his position on the north side of "the ravine"--the deep chasm of the wady El-Murogede; "that night"--means, while it was dark, probably after midnight, or very early in the morning (
John 20:1). The king of Ai, in the early dawn, rouses his slumbering subjects and makes a hasty sally with all his people who were capable of bearing arms, once more to surprise and annihilate them.
14 at a time appointed--either an hour concocted between the king and people of Ai and those of Beth-el, who were confederates in this enterprise, or perhaps they had fixed on the same time of day, as they had fought successfully against Israel on the former occasion, deeming it a lucky hour (
Judg 20:38).
but he wist not that there were liers in ambush against him behind the city--It is evident that this king and his subjects were little experienced in war; otherwise they would have sent out scouts to reconnoitre the neighborhood; at all events, they would not have left their town wholly unprotected and open. Perhaps an ambuscade may have been a war stratagem hitherto unknown in that country, and among that people.
15 Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them--the pretended flight in the direction of the wilderness; that is, southeast, into the Ghor, the desert valley of the Jordan, decoyed all the inhabitants of Ai out of the city, while the people of Beth-el hastened to participate in the expected victory. It is supposed by some, from "the city," and not "cities," being spoken of, that the effective force of Beth-el had been concentrated in Ai, as the two places were closely contiguous, and Ai the larger of the two. (See
Josh 12:9). It may be remarked, however, that the words, "or Beth-el," are not in the Septuagint, and are rejected by some eminent scholars, as an interpolation not found in the most ancient manuscripts.
18 Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city--The uplifted spear had probably a flag, or streamer on it, to render it the more conspicuous from the height where he stood. At the sight of this understood signal the ambush nearest the city, informed by their scouts, made a sudden rush and took possession of the city, telegraphing to their brethren by raising a smoke from the walls. Upon seeing this, the main body, who had been reigning a flight, turned round at the head of the pass upon their pursuers, while the twenty-five thousand issuing from their ambuscade, fell back upon their rear. The Ai-ites surprised, looked back, and found their situation now desperate.
23 the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua--to be reserved for a more ignominious death, as a greater criminal in God's sight than his subjects. In the mingled attack from before and behind, all the men were massacred.
24 all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword--the women, children, and old persons left behind, amounting, in all, to twelve thousand people [
Josh 8:25].
26 Joshua drew not his hand back--Perhaps, from the long continuance of the posture, it might have been a means appointed by God, to animate the people, and kept up in the same devout spirit as Moses had shown, in lifting up his hands, until the work of slaughter had been completed--the ban executed. (See on
Exod 17:10).
28 Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever--"For ever" often signifies "a long time" (
Gen 6:3). One of the remarkable things with regard to the tell we have identified with Ai is its name--the tell of the heap of stones--a name which to this day remains [VAN DE VELDE].
29 THE KING HANGED. (
Josh 8:29)
The king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide--that is, gibbeted. In ancient, and particularly Oriental wars, the chiefs, when taken prisoners, were usually executed. The Israelites were obliged, by the divine law, to put them to death. The execution of the king of Ai would tend to facilitate the conquest of the land, by striking terror into the other chiefs, and making it appear a judicial process, in which they were inflicting the vengeance of God upon His enemies.
take his carcass down . . . and raise thereon a great heap of stones--It was taken down at sunset, according to the divine command (
Deut 21:23), and cast into a pit dug "at the entering of the gate," because that was the most public place. An immense cairn was raised over his grave--an ancient usage, still existing in the East, whereby is marked the sepulchre of persons whose memory is infamous.
30 JOSHUA BUILDS AN ALTAR. (
Josh 8:30-
Josh 8:31)
Then Joshua built an altar unto the Lord God of Israel in mount Ebal--(See on
Deut 27:11). This spot was little short of twenty miles from Ai. The march through a hostile country and the unmolested performance of the religious ceremonial observed at this mountain, would be greatly facilitated, through the blessing of God, by the disastrous fall of Ai. The solemn duty was to be attended to at the first convenient opportunity after the entrance into Canaan (
Deut 27:2); and with this in view Joshua seems to have conducted the people through the mountainous region that intervened though no details of the journey have been recorded. Ebal was on the north, opposite to Gerizim, which was on the south side of the town Sichem (Nablous).
31 an altar of whole stones--according to the instructions given to Moses (
Exod 20:25;
Deut 27:5).
over which no man hath lifted up any iron--that is, iron tool. The reason for this was that every altar of the true God ought properly to have been built of earth (
Exod 20:24); and if it was constructed of stone, rough, unhewn stones were to be employed that it might retain both the appearance and nature of earth, since every bloody sacrifice was connected with sin and death, by which man, the creature of earth, is brought to earth again [KEIL].
they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the Lord, and sacrificed peace offerings--This had been done when the covenant was established (
Exod 24:5); and by the observance of these rites (
Deut 27:6), the covenant was solemnly renewed--the people were reconciled to God by the burnt offering, and this feast accompanying the peace or thank offering, a happy communion with God was enjoyed by all the families in Israel.
32 he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses--(See on
Deut 27:2-
Deut 27:3,
Deut 27:5); that is, the blessings and curses of the law. Some think that the stones which contained this inscription were the stones of the altar: but this verse seems rather to indicate that a number of stone pillars were erected alongside of the altar, and on which, after they were plastered, this duplicate of the law was inscribed.
33 all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side--One half of Israel was arranged on Gerizim, and the other half on Ebal--along the sides and base of each.
before the priests the Levites--in full view of them.
34 afterward he read all the words of the law--caused the priests or Levites to read it (
Deut 27:14). Persons are often said in Scripture to do that which they only command to be done.
35 There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not--It appears that a much larger portion of the law was read on this occasion than the brief summary inscribed on the stones; and this must have been the essence of the law as contained in Deuteronomy (
Deut 4:44;
Deut 6:9;
Deut 27:8). It was not written on the stones, but on the plaster. The immediate design of this rehearsal was attained by the performance of the act itself. It only related to posterity, in so far as the record of the event would be handed down in the Book of Joshua, or the documents which form the groundwork of it [HENGSTENBERG]. Thus faithfully did Joshua execute the instructions given by Moses. How awfully solemn must have been the assemblage and the occasion! The eye and the ear of the people being both addressed, it was calculated to leave an indelible impression; and with spirits elevated by their brilliant victories in the land of promise, memory would often revert to the striking scene on mounts Ebal and Gerizim, and in the vale of Sychar.