1I řekl Hospodin k Jozue: Neboj se, ani se strachuj; pojmi s sebou všecken lid bojovný, a vstana, táhni k Hai. Aj, dal jsem v ruku tvou krále Hai a lid jeho, město i zemi jeho. 2A učiníš Hai a králi jeho, jako jsi učinil Jerichu a králi jeho, loupež však a dobytky jeho rozbitujete mezi sebe. Zdělejž sobě zálohy k městu po zadu. 3Tedy vstal Jozue a všecken lid bojovný, aby táhli k Hai. I vybral Jozue třidcet tisíců mužů velmi silných, a předeslal je v noci. 4A přikázal jim, řka: Šetřtež vy, kteříž uděláte zálohy městu po zadní straně města, abyste nebyli příliš daleko od něho, ale buďte všickni pohotově. 5Já pak i všecken lid, kterýž se mnou jest, přitáhneme k městu. A když oni nám vyjdou vstříc, jako prvé, utíkati budeme před nimi. 6Tedy honiti budou nás, až bychom poodvedli jich od města, (nebo řeknou: Utíkají před námi, jako prvé), utíkajíce před nimi. 7Vy mezi tím vyskočíte z záloh, a vyženete ostatní obyvatele města, nebo dá je Hospodin Bůh váš v ruku vaši. 8A když vezmete město, zapálíte je ohněm, podlé slova Hospodinova učiníte; šetřtež toho, což jsem přikázal vám. 9I poslal Jozue, a oni šli k zálohám, a zůstali mezi Bethel a Hai, od západní strany Hai; Jozue pak zůstal té noci u prostřed lidu. 10Potom vstav Jozue velmi ráno, sečtl lid, i bral se napřed, on a starší Izraelští před lidem k Hai. 11Všecken také lid bojovný, kterýž byl s ním, táhnouce, přiblížili se, až přišli naproti městu, a položili se po straně půlnoční Hai; údolí pak bylo mezi nimi a mezi Hai. 12Vzal pak byl okolo pěti tisíc mužů, kteréž postavil v zálohách mezi Bethel a Hai, od západní stany města. 13I přiblížil se lid, totiž všecko vojsko, kteréž bylo od půlnoční strany města, a kteříž byli v zálohách jeho od západní strany města; a tak vtáhl Jozue noci té do prostřed údolí. 14I stalo se, že když je uzřel král Hai, pospíšili, a ráno vstavše, vyšli lidé města vstříc Izraelovi k boji, on i všecken lid jeho toho času před rovinu; nevěděl pak, že zálohy udělány byly jemu po zadu města. 15I postoupil Jozue a všecken Izrael před nimi, a utíkali cestou pouště. 16I svolán jest všecken lid v městě, aby je honili. I honili Jozue, a vzdálili se od města svého, 17Tak že nezůstal žádný z obyvatelů Hai a Bethel, kdo by nevyšel, aby honil Izraele; a nechali města otevřeného, a honili Izraele. 18Řekl pak Hospodin k Jozue: Zdvihni korouhev, kterouž máš v rukou svých, proti Hai, nebo v ruce tvé dám je. I zdvihl Jozue korouhev, kterouž měl v ruce své, proti městu. 19Tedy, kteříž byli v zálohách, rychle vyskočili z místa svého, a běželi, když pozdvihl ruky své, a všedše do města, vzali je, a spěšně zapálili město ohněm. 20Muži pak města Hai ohlédše se nazpět, uzřeli, a aj, vstupoval dým města k nebi, a neměli místa k utíkání sem ani tam; nebo lid, kterýž utíkati počal k poušti, obrátil se na ty, kteříž je honili. 21Jozue zajisté a všecken Izrael, když viděli, že z záloh vzali město, a že se vznáší dým města, obrátili se, a bili muže Hai. 22Onino také vyšli z města proti nim, a obklíčil Izrael nepřátely své, jedni odsud, druzí od onud; a zmordovali je, tak že žádný živ nezůstal ani neušel. 23Ale krále Hai jali živého, a přivedli ho k Jozue. 24Když pak pomordoval Izrael všecky obyvatele Hai v poli, totiž na poušti, kamž je honili, a padli ti všickni od ostrosti meče, až i zahlazeni jsou: navrátil se všecken Izrael do Hai, a zmordovali ostatky jeho mečem. 25A bylo všech, kteříž padli v ten den, od muže až do ženy, dvanácte tisíců; všickni ti byli z Hai. 26Ale Jozue nespustil ruky své, kterouž vyzdvihl korouhev, dokudž nebyli zmordováni všickni obyvatelé Hai. 27Toliko hovada a loupež města toho rozbitovali mezi sebou synové Izraelští podlé slova Hospodinova, kteréž on přikázal Jozue. 28Tedy vypálil Jozue Hai, a položil je v hromadu věčnou a pustinu, až do tohoto dne. 29Krále pak Hai oběsil na dřevě, a nechal ho tam až do večera. A když zapadlo slunce, rozkázal Jozue, aby složili tělo jeho s dřeva, a povrhli je u brány města, a nametali na ně hromadu kamení velikou, kteráž trvá až do dnešního dne. 30Tedy vzdělal Jozue oltář Hospodinu Bohu Izraelskému na hoře Hébal, 31(Jakož přikázal Mojžíš, služebník Hospodinův, synům Izraelským, jakož psáno jest v knize zákona Mojžíšova,) oltář z kamení celého, nad nímž nebylo zdviženo železo, a obětovali na něm oběti zápalné Hospodinu, obětovali i oběti pokojné. 32Napsal také tam na kameních výpis zákona Mojžíšova, kterýž psal před syny Izraelskými. 33Všecken pak Izrael a starší jeho, i správcové i soudcové jeho stáli po obou stranách truhly před kněžími Levítskými, kteříž nosili truhlu smlouvy Hospodinovy, tak cizí jako doma zrozený, polovice jich proti hoře Garizim, a polovice proti hoře Hébal, jakož byl prvé přikázal Mojžíš, služebník Hospodinův, aby dobrořečil lidu Izraelskému nejprvé. 34A potom četl všecka slova zákona, požehnání i zlořečení, tak jakž psáno jest v knize zákona. 35Nebylo ani slova ze všeho, což přikázal Mojžíš, jehož by nečetl Jozue přede vším shromážděním Izraelským, i ženami i dětmi i příchozími, kteříž šli u prostřed nich.
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.