1A Hospodin k Jóšuovi řekl: Nechť se nebojíš, aniž se budeš strachovat; vezmi s sebou všechen bojovný lid a vstaň, vystup k Aji; viz, vydal jsem krále Aje a jeho lid a jeho město a jeho zem v tvou ruku, 2i učiníš Aji a jejímu králi jako jsi učinil Jeríchu a jeho králi, jen lup z ní a její dobytek si budete brát za kořist. Polož si k městu zálohu zpoza něho. 3Jóšua tedy vstal, i všechen bojovný lid, k vystoupení k Aji; a Jóšua vybral třicet tisíc mužů, zdatných hrdinů, jež v noci vyslal 4a rozkázal jim výrokem: Vizte, vy budete v záloze u města odzadu k městu; nechť se od města velmi nevzdalujete, nýbrž budete vy všichni připraveni. 5A já a všechen lid, jenž je se mnou, - budeme se přibližovat k městu, a když nám budou vycházet vstříc jako poprvé, stane se, že budeme před jejich tváří prchat, 6i půjdou ven za námi, až než je od města oddálíme, neboť budou říkat: Prchají před naší tváří, jako poprvé, - i budeme před jejich tváří prchat, 7a vy budete povstávat ze zálohy a zmocníte se města, a Hospodin, váš Bůh, je vydá ve vaši ruku. 8A jak město opanujete, stane se, že město budete ohněm podpalovat; budete jednat podle slova Hospodinova. Vizte, rozkázal jsem vám. 9Jóšua je tedy vyslal, i odešli k místu, kde měli číhat, a zůstali mezi Béth-Élem a mezi Ají, od západu vůči Aji; a Jóšua v onu noc přenocoval vprostřed lidu. 10A za jitra Jóšua časně vstal a podrobil lid přehlídce a vystoupil, on i starší Isráélovi, před tváří lidu k Aji, 11a všechen bojovný lid, jenž byl s ním, ti vystoupili a přiblížili se a přišli před město, i uložili se od severu vůči Aji; a mezi nimi a mezi Ají byla průrva; 12a vzali asi pět tisíc mužů a položili je jako zálohu mezi Béth-Él a mezi Aj od západu vůči městu. 13Tak rozestavili lid: všechen tábor, jenž byl od severu vůči městu, i jeho zálohu od západu vůči městu; a Jóšua v onu noc odešel v střed údolí. 14To jak uviděl král Aje, stalo se, že muži města pospíšili a časně vstali a vytáhli vstříc Isráéli k boji, on a všechen jeho lid, na určené místo před step, ale on nevěděl, že má odzadu k městu zálohu. 15A Jóšua a všechen Isráél se před jejich tváří dali porazit a jali se prchat cestou k pustině; 16a všechen lid, jenž byl ve městě, ti byli svoláni, aby se hnali za nimi, i rozehnali se za Jóšuou a dali se odlákat od města, 17a v Aji a Béth-Élu nezbyl nikdo, kdo by nebyl vytáhl za Isráélem, nýbrž město otevřené opustili a za Isráélem se rozehnali. 18A Hospodin k Jóšuovi řekl: Rozpřáhni se oštěpem, jenž je v tvé ruce, k Aji, neboť ji chci vydat v tvou ruku. Jóšua se tedy oštěpem, jenž byl v jeho ruce, rozpřáhl k městu 19a záloha v chvatu povstala ze svého místa, i rozběhli se, jak napřáhl svou ruku, a vnikli v město a dobyli ho a spěšně město ohněm podpálili. 20A muži města se otočili za sebe a pohleděli, a hle, k nebesům stoupal kouř z města, i nebylo v nich sil k uprchnutí tam či tam; a lid prchající v pustinu se obrátil na pronásledovatele. 21A když Jóšua a všechen Isráél uviděli, že záloha města dobyla a že kouř z města stoupá, vrátili se a jali se muže města bít; 22a onino jim z města vyšli vstříc, i ocitli se vprostřed Isráéle, tito odtud a tito odtud, a bili je, až jim nezbylo přeživšího ani uniknuvšího. 23A krále Aje chytili živého a přivedli ho k Jóšuovi. 24A jak Isráél dokončil zabíjení všech obyvatel Aje v poli, v pustině, do níž je zahnali, a oni všichni padli ostřím meče, až do jejich vymizení, stalo se, že se všechen Isráél vrátil do Aje a vybili ji ostřím meče, 25a všech padlých v onen den, od muže po ženu, bylo dvanáct tisíc, všech lidí v Aji; 26a Jóšua svou ruku, jíž se rozpřáhl oštěpem, nestáhl zpět, než všechny obyvatele Aje uvedli v odevzdání. 27Jen dobytek a lup z onoho města si vzal Isráél za kořist podle slova Hospodinova, jež přikázal Jóšuovi. 28A Jóšua Aj spálil a učinil ji kupou sutin, trvalou, až po tento den. 29A krále Aje až do času večera pověsili na strom a za zacházení slunce Jóšua rozkázal, ať jeho mrtvolu ze stromu sejmou, i hodili ji ke vchodu brány města a navršili na ni velikou hromadu kamenů, až po tento den. 30Tehdy Jóšua na hoře Éválu budoval Hospodinu, Isráélovu Bohu, oltář 31podle toho, co rozkázal Mojžíš, nevolník Hospodinův, Isráélovým dětem, jak bylo napsáno v knize Mojžíšova zákona, oltář z neporušených kamenů, nad nímž nezamávali železem, a jali se na něm vznášet vzestupné oběti Hospodinu a obětovat oběti pokojných hodů. 32A na ty kameny tam napsali opis Mojžíšova zákona, jejž napsal před tváří Isráélových dětí. 33A všechen Isráél a jeho starší a předáci a jeho soudcové stáli odtud a odtud vůči skříňce a před lévíovskými kněžími, skříňku smlouvy Hospodinovy nosícími, jak cizinec, tak domácí, polovina jich naproti hoře Gerizzím a polovina jich naproti hoře Éválu, podle toho, co rozkázal Mojžíš, nevolník Hospodinův, k žehnání lidu Isráélova nejprve. 34A potom přečetl všechna slova Mojžíšova zákona, požehnání i zlořečení, podle všeho v knize zákona napsaného; 35nebylo slova ze všeho, co Mojžíš rozkázal, jež by Jóšua přede vším sejitím Isráélovým, i ženami a drobotinou, i cizinci, již vprostřed nich chodili, nebyl přečetl.
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.