Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Joshua 8

93 catchwords387 parallels

← Joshua | ← Ch 7 | Ch 9 →

Joshua 8 . 1 , God encourages Joshua; Joshua 8 . 3 , The stratagem whereby Ai was taken; Joshua 8 . 29 , The king thereof is hanged; Joshua 8 . 30 , Joshua builds an altar; Joshua 8 . 32 , writes the law on stones; Joshua 8 . 33 , and pronounces the blessings and curses.

Joshua 8:1

Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. See, I have delivered into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.

Joshua 8:1 · BSB

Fear not14 parallels

take all2 parallels

It would seem , from this #### Verse , that all that were capable of bearing arms were to march out of the camp on this occasion . 30 ,000 formed an ambuscade in one place; and 5 ,000 were placed in another , who all gained their positions in the night. With the rest of the army , Joshua appeared the next morning before Ai , which the men of that city would naturally suppose was the whole of the Israelitish force and , consequently , be the more emboldened to come out and attack them. Some , however , think that 30 ,000 men were the whole that were employed on this occasion , 5 ,000 of whom were placed in ambush on the west of the city , between Bethel and Ai

  • Joshua 8:12 and , with the rest , Joshua appeared before the city in the morning. The king , seeing but about 25 ,000 coming against him , though he had but 12 ,000 persons in the whole city
  • Joshua 8:25 determined to risk a battle , issued out , and was defeated by stratagem

I have7 parallels

Reciprocal9 parallels

Joshua 8:2

And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves. Set up an ambush behind the city.”

Joshua 8:2 · BSB

do to Ai7 parallels

only the spoil10 parallels

lay thee9 parallels

Reciprocal7 parallels

Joshua 8:3

So Joshua and the whole army set out to attack Ai. Joshua chose 30,000 mighty men of valor and sent them out at night

Joshua 8:3 · BSB

by night5 parallels

Reciprocal3 parallels

Joshua 8:4

with these orders: “Pay attention. You are to lie in ambush behind the city, not too far from it. All of you must be ready.

Joshua 8:4 · BSB

lie in wait8 parallels

go not2 parallels

Reciprocal2 parallels

Joshua 8:5

Then I and all the troops with me will advance on the city. When they come out against us as they did the first time, we will flee from them.

Joshua 8:5 · BSB

as at1 parallel

that we will2 parallels

Reciprocal2 parallels

Joshua 8:6

They will pursue us until we have drawn them away from the city, for they will say, ‘The Israelites are running away from us as they did before.’ So as we flee from them,

Joshua 8:6 · BSB

drawn1 parallel

Heb. pulled

They flee5 parallels

Reciprocal2 parallels

Joshua 8:7

you are to rise from the ambush and seize the city, for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.

Joshua 8:7 · BSB

for the Lord4 parallels

Reciprocal7 parallels

Joshua 8:8

And when you have taken the city, set it on fire. Do as the LORD has commanded! See, I have given you orders.”

Joshua 8:8 · BSB

set the city2 parallels

I have4 parallels

Reciprocal2 parallels

Joshua 8:9

So Joshua sent them out, and they went to the place of ambush and lay in wait between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai. But Joshua spent that night among the people.

Joshua 8:9 · BSB

between5 parallels

lodged1 parallel

Reciprocal2 parallels

Joshua 8:10

Joshua got up early the next morning and mobilized his men, and he and the elders of Israel marched before them up to Ai.

Joshua 8:10 · BSB

rose up4 parallels

Reciprocal1 parallel

Joshua 8:11

Then all the troops who were with him marched up and approached the city. They arrived in front of Ai and camped to the north of it, with the valley between them and the city.

Joshua 8:11 · BSB

the whole verse1 parallel

Joshua 8:12

Now Joshua had taken about five thousand men and set up an ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the city.

Joshua 8:12 · BSB

five thousand2 parallels

Reciprocal4 parallels

of the city or , of Ai

Joshua 8:13

So the forces were stationed with the main camp to the north of the city and the rear guard to the west of the city. And that night Joshua went into the valley.

Joshua 8:13 · BSB

liers in wait1 parallel

Heb. lying in wait

on the west2 parallels

Reciprocal1 parallel

Joshua 8:14

When the king of Ai saw the Israelites, he hurried out early in the morning with the men of the city to engage them in battle at an appointed place overlooking the Arabah. But he did not know that an ambush had been set up against him behind the city.

Joshua 8:14 · BSB

Ai saw it2 parallels

he wist not9 parallels

Reciprocal4 parallels

Joshua 8:15

Joshua and all Israel let themselves be beaten back before them, and they fled toward the wilderness.

Joshua 8:15 · BSB

by the way1 parallel

Reciprocal3 parallels

Joshua 8:16

Then all the men of Ai were summoned to pursue them, and they followed Joshua and were drawn away from the city.

Joshua 8:16 · BSB

called together1 parallel

drawn away7 parallels

Reciprocal4 parallels

Joshua 8:17

Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel, leaving the city wide open while they pursued Israel.

Joshua 8:17 · BSB

a man7 parallels

Reciprocal5 parallels

Bethel Bethel is not mentioned in the Greek version , and some , with Houbigant and Pilkington , think it was not originally in the Hebrew; because , had the men of Bethel pursued , as well as those of Ai , it would have been said that they left the cities , and not the city , open. The principal strength of Bethel might have been previously taken into Ai , as the strongest place to make a stand in; Bethel being but about three miles westward from Ai.

Joshua 8:18

Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Hold out your battle lance toward Ai, for into your hand I will deliver the city.” So Joshua held out his battle lance toward Ai,

Joshua 8:18 · BSB

Stretch5 parallels

the spear4 parallels

The word keedon is rendered clypeum , a shield or buckler , by the Vulgate but the LXX translate it דביףןם , which Suidas says , signifies a kind of weapon , ןיןם הןסבפןע , like a spear. It may denote a short spear , javelin , or lance; for it is evident that it signifies neither the larger spear nor the shield , because it is distinguished from both

Reciprocal2 parallels

Joshua 8:19

and as soon as he did so, the men in ambush rose quickly from their position. They rushed forward, entered the city, captured it, and immediately set it on fire.

Joshua 8:19 · BSB

the whole verse1 parallel

Reciprocal2 parallels

Joshua 8:20

When the men of Ai turned and looked back, the smoke of the city was rising into the sky. They could not escape in any direction, and the troops who had fled to the wilderness now became the pursuers.

Joshua 8:20 · BSB

the smoke4 parallels

and they had6 parallels

Reciprocal8 parallels

power Heb. hand

Joshua 8:21

When Joshua and all Israel saw that the men in ambush had captured the city and that smoke was rising from it, they turned around and struck down the men of Ai.

Joshua 8:21 · BSB

Reciprocal1 parallel

Joshua 8:22

Meanwhile, those in the ambush came out of the city against them, and the men of Ai were trapped between the Israelite forces on both sides. So Israel struck them down until no survivor or fugitive remained.

Joshua 8:22 · BSB

let none8 parallels

Reciprocal4 parallels

Joshua 8:23

But they took the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.

Joshua 8:23 · BSB

the whole verse4 parallels

Joshua 8:24

When Israel had finished killing all the men of Ai who had pursued them into the field and wilderness, and when every last one of them had fallen by the sword, all the Israelites returned to Ai and put it to the sword as well.

Joshua 8:24 · BSB

returned unto Ai4 parallels

This must refer to the women , children , and old persons left behind; for it seems that all the effective men had sallied out when they imagined the Israelites had fled

Reciprocal6 parallels

Joshua 8:25

A total of twelve thousand men and women fell that day—all the people of Ai.

Joshua 8:25 · BSB

Reciprocal4 parallels

Joshua 8:26

Joshua did not draw back the hand that held his battle lance until he had devoted to destruction all who lived in Ai.

Joshua 8:26 · BSB

Joshua1 parallel

Joshua seems to have been not only the general but the standard-bearer of the army

  • Joshua 8:18 and continued in this employment , by holding up or extending his spear , during the whole of the battle; and did not slacken from the pursuit till the forces of Ai were utterly discomfited. Some commentators , however , understand this action in a figurative sense , like the holding up of Moses' hands , as if it implied that Joshua continued in prayer for the success of his troops , nor ceased till the armies of Ai were annihilated , and the city taken and destroyed

drew not3 parallels

Reciprocal1 parallel

Joshua 8:27

Israel took for themselves only the cattle and plunder of that city, as the LORD had commanded Joshua.

Joshua 8:27 · BSB

the cattle6 parallels

he commanded1 parallel

Reciprocal4 parallels

Joshua 8:28

So Joshua burned Ai and made it a permanent heap of ruins, a desolation to this day.

Joshua 8:28 · BSB

an heap8 parallels

unto this day1 parallel

Reciprocal3 parallels

Joshua 8:29

He hung the king of Ai on a tree until evening, and at sunset Joshua commanded that they take down the body from the tree and throw it down at the entrance of the city gate. And over it they raised a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day.

Joshua 8:29 · BSB

the king11 parallels

The kings of Canaan lay under the same curse as their subjects and probably were more deeply criminal. The reserving of the king of Ai for a solemn execution , would tend to strike terror into the other kings , contribute to the success of Israel , and give their proceedings the stamp of a judicial process , and of executing the vengeance of God upon his enemies

as soon1 parallel

a great heap2 parallels

Reciprocal7 parallels

Joshua 8:30

At that time Joshua built an altar on Mount Ebal to the LORD, the God of Israel,

Joshua 8:30 · BSB

built an altar3 parallels

in mount Ebal4 parallels

Moses himself had twice given express orders for this solemnity; once

  • Deuteronomy 11:29
  • Deuteronomy 11:30 in which he pointed out the very place where it was to be performed; and again , at the
  • Deuteronomy 27:1 there is a renewal of the instructions to Joshua , with special reference to minute particulars. It was a federal transaction . the covenant was now renewed between God and Israel upon their taking possession of the land of promise , that they might be encouraged in the conquest of it , and might know upon what terms they held it , and come under fresh obligations to obedience
  • Joshua 8:33

Reciprocal2 parallels

Joshua 8:31

just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses: “an altar of uncut stones on which no iron tool has been used.” And on it they offered burnt offerings to the LORD, and they sacrificed peace offerings.

Joshua 8:31 · BSB

as it is10 parallels

altar6 parallels

and they offered4 parallels

Reciprocal2 parallels

Joshua 8:32

And there in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua inscribed on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written.

Joshua 8:32 · BSB

the whole verse3 parallels

Joshua 8:33

All Israel, foreigners and citizens alike, with their elders, officers, and judges, stood on both sides of the ark of the covenant of the LORD facing the Levitical priests who carried it. Half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded earlier, to bless the people of Israel.

Joshua 8:33 · BSB

all Israel6 parallels

priests9 parallels

stranger5 parallels

Moses3 parallels

Reciprocal7 parallels

Joshua 8:34

Afterward, Jushua-Read aloud all the words of the law—the blessings and the curses—according to all that is written in the Book of the Law.

Joshua 8:34 · BSB

he read5 parallels

blessings6 parallels

Reciprocal3 parallels

Joshua 8:35

There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua failed to read before the whole assembly of Israel, including the women, the little ones, and the foreigners who lived among them.

Joshua 8:35 · BSB

was not3 parallels

women7 parallels

strangers1 parallel

Reciprocal2 parallels

were Heb. walked

conversant The word conversant , from the Latin conversor , is here used in the classical sense of having intercourse with.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge is the classical cross-reference layer — centuries of catchword parallels beneath the site’s quotations, allusions, and echoes. Every reference above also flows into the wider web of connections.

In the wider web3 threads
Intertextuality Pairs
Allusions Joshua 8:29 → Deuteronomy 21:22-23
Chiasms
Shaped Joshua 8:14–23, Joshua 8:31–35
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