Joshua 8: The Fall of Ai, According to Yahweh
1 Now the Lord said to Joshua: “Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land. 2 And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king. Only its spoil and its cattle you shall take as booty for yourselves. Lay an ambush for the city behind it.”
“When we have faithfully put away sin, that accursed thing which separates between us and God, then, and not till then, we may look to hear from God to our comfort; and God's directing us how to go on in our Christian work and warfare, is a good evidence of his being reconciled to us. God encouraged Joshua to proceed.” (Matthew Henry Commentaty)
“Take all the people of war…. Not three thousand men only as at the first attempt.” (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges)
Only its spoil and its cattle you shall take as booty for yourselves..., "the material spoil, not the persons of the inhabitants. (See Joshua 11:14.) Jericho was treated exceptionally, in that the material spoil was made chêrem, devoted to destruction, as the thing accursed of God.” (Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers)
The material things and animals were not evil in and of themselves; but at Jericho, everything except the precious metals were to be destroyed, as a picture of the final judgment. The people were stoned to death and then burned with fire as a picture of the first and second death. But here to show that the true meaning is tithe of the first fruits, these categories are allowed for the people. Yet, as for the precious metals, they survive in both battles, and are devoted to sanctuary use, as a picture of faith. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1: 3-9)
Joshua 8 Joshua Gives the Commander's Intent to Israel; And They Executed It Perfectly
3 So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai; and Joshua chose thirty thousand mighty men of valor and sent them away by night. 4 And he commanded them, saying: “Behold, you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind the city. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready. 5 Then I and all the people who are with me will approach the city; and it will come about, when they come out against us as at the first, that we shall flee before them. 6 For they will come out after us till we have drawn them from the city, for they will say, ‘They are fleeing before us as at the first.’ Therefore we will flee before them. 7 Then you shall rise from the ambush and seize the city, for the Lord your God will deliver it into your hand. 8 And it will be, when you have taken the city, that you shall set the city on fire. According to the commandment of the Lord you shall do. See, I have commanded you.”
"Joshua’s general plan of operations is stated in these verses. The following verses explain how it was worked out."
(Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers)
Rather than an obvious miracle as at Jericho, "YHWH directed tactics. YHWH told him that they were to hide soldiers behind the city, probably making their way there by night. These were to lie in hiding, not far from the ‘city’, until after the frontal assault of the ‘city’. Then we are told that Joshua commanded exactly what YHWH had commanded. The way of obedience had also been restored." (Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible)
"God also hath his stratagems; he seemeth sometimes to retire, that he may come upon his enemies with the greater advantage. The end of all the present troubles will be the ruin of the Antichristian faction, and we shall see the Church in her more perfect beauty, when the enemies shall be in that place that is fittest for them, the lowest, that is the footstool of Christ." (John Trapp Complete Commentary)
"Jesus answered, 'My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.'”(John 18:36)
"David. A psalm. The LORD says to my lord: 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.'" (Psalm 110:1)
"And Jesus said to them, 'How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David? Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.' [Psalm 110:1] Therefore David calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?”(John 20:41-44)
For they will come out after us till we have drawn them from the city, for they will say, ‘They are fleeing before us as at the first.’ .... "Pull the heretics but out of their stronghold of Scripture proofs, into the open field of fathers and councils, and then you may deal well enough with them." (John Trapp Complete Commentary)
And it will be, when you have taken the city, that you shall set the city on fire... "Once the city was taken it was to be set on fire. This would both act as a signal and would begin the fulfilment of YHWH’s instruction to ‘devote’ the city and its citizens, but not the cattle (Joshua 8:2)." (Peter Pett's Commentary) "Of this fire we may say, as Herodotus doth of Troy, set on fire by the Greeks, that the cinders and ashes thereof were set before the eyes of men, as an example of that sure rule. Great sins have great punishments from God; like whereunto is that of Job, 'Is it not destruction for the wicked, and disaster for the workers of iniquity?' [Job 31:3]" (John Trapp Complete Commentary)
"We are not to understand that the entire city is to be immediately destroyed by fire, for in that case there would be a loss of the promised spoil. A part of the city was set on fire as a signal, and the smoke was to signify to Joshua that it was time to stop the reigned retreat and return to the city. Afterwards the entire city was pillaged and destroyed.
According to the commandment of the Lord — This is found in the second verse, 'as unto Jericho.' See, I have commanded you — Be impressed with the fact that this is a momentous military order, and on your perfect obedience victory hinges." (Whedon's Commentary on the Bible)
"For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now, 'If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?'[Psalm 31:10]" (1 Peter 4:17-18)
9 Joshua therefore sent them out; and they went to lie in ambush, and stayed between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai; but Joshua lodged that night among the people. 10 Then Joshua rose up early in the morning and mustered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai. 11 And all the people of war who were with him went up and drew near; and they came before the city and camped on the north side of Ai. Now a valley lay between them and Ai. 12 So he took about five thousand men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city. 13 And when they had set the people, all the army that was on the north of the city, and its rear guard on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.
14 Now it happened, when the king of Ai saw it, that the men of the city hurried and rose early and went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at an appointed place before the plain. But he did not know that there was an ambush against him behind the city. 15 And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness. 16 So all the people who were in Ai were called together to pursue them. And they pursued Joshua and were drawn away from the city. 17 There was not a man left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel. So they left the city open and pursued Israel.
It all happened according to the Word of Yahweh!
Joshua 8: Afternoon Repost: The Rest of the Story
18 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Stretch out the spear that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand.” And Joshua stretched out the spear that was in his hand toward the city. 19 So those in ambush arose quickly out of their place; they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand, and they entered the city and took it, and hurried to set the city on fire. 20 And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and behold, the smoke of the city ascended to heaven. So they had no power to flee this way or that way, and the people who had fled to the wilderness turned back on the pursuers.
21 Now when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city and that the smoke of the city ascended, they turned back and struck down the men of Ai. 22 Then the others came out of the city against them; so they were caught in the midst of Israel, some on this side and some on that side. And they struck them down, so that they let none of them remain or escape. 23 But the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.
24 And it came to pass when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness where they pursued them, and when they all had fallen by the edge of the sword until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned to Ai and struck it with the edge of the sword. 25 So it was that all who fell that day, both men and women, were twelve thousand—all the people of Ai. 26 For Joshua did not draw back his hand, with which he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. 27 Only the livestock and the spoil of that city Israel took as booty for themselves, according to the word of the Lord which He had commanded Joshua. 28 So Joshua burned Ai and made it a heap forever, a desolation to this day. 29 And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until evening. And as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his corpse down from the tree, cast it at the entrance of the gate of the city, and raise over it a great heap of stones that remains to this day.
"No doubt Joshua had ascended the heights, most likely those to the north of the valley, so as to separate himself from the flying Israelites on the lower ground, and to be visible to the men in ambush behind the city. He now, at the command of God, gives the appointed signal to the ambush.” (Barnes' Notes) "God, the righteous Judge, had sentenced the Canaanites for their wickedness; the Israelites only executed his doom. None of their conduct can be drawn into an example for others.” ( Matthew Henry) Our Joshua is in Heaven ready to signal to spiritual Israel. And our warfare is spiritual to the bringing down of strongholds.
They hurried to set the city on fire, this being a picture of that judgement fire from Yahweh. And Israel struck down the inhabitants by sword. Along with the other battle garments for the soldier of faith, the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, is our weaponry. See Ephesians 6:16-18. Particularly, it is the Words of Jesus which will condemn the world on the last day. (John 12:47-49)
"It is interesting to note again that this first victory in the Hill Country was in the region of Ai and Bethel, exactly where some of the most significant promises had been given to Abraham and Jacob hundreds of years earlier...." (Monson) But the king of Ai, as well as his subjects, had no regard for the faith and beliefs of the patriarchs of Israel, though they had lived and practiced their faith in that very land. They had no regard for the torah of Yahweh. They did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.
In contrast to the people, the king of Ai was captured alive and taken to Joshua who executed him by hanging him on a tree. But the body was taken down at evening, as it is written "If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the Lordyour God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God." (Debt 21:22–23) "Hanging the body exhibited the person to public humiliation. The criminal was under the curse of God… the judgment that takes a person's life out of the covenant community as a perpetrator of the worst kind of sin and displays that judgment by the humiliation of hanging his body in public shows that that person is under God's curse.”
(The Bible Knowledge Commentary)
The king of Ai is a picture of Satan. "Those who see you will gaze at you, and consider you, saying, ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world as a wilderness and destroyed its cities, who did not open the house of his prisoners?’” (Isaiah 14:15-17)
We must side with Satan or Joshua. Thus we will find humiliation or honor, respectively. “The Apostle Paul quoted from this Jewish law (Deuteronomy 21:22-23) as he described for us the reason for Christ's death on the cross, when he said, ‘Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law’ (Galatians 3:13)...You see, Christ not only died for our sins in a judicial sense, paying the required penalty for our crimes of disobedience; He also bore our ‘curse,’ the utter shame associated with our blatant disobedience against the God of the universe.
When Jewish leaders pressed Pilate for the sentence of crucifixion, they were expressing their contempt for anyone guilty of the sin of blasphemy — the sin of which they were accusing Jesus. They were not only clamoring for Jesus' death. Knowing that the Roman idea of crucifixion was paramount to their practice of hanging on a tree, they would be satisfied with nothing less than having Jesus crucified. They wanted Him put to shame. They wanted to demonstrate that He was cursed of God.
What they did not understand, however, was that Jesus was not dying for His own sin, but for their sins. As Paul, the converted Jewish Pharisee would one day seek to explain to them, Christ was bearing the very shame associated with their sin of willful disobedience against God.
And that is what we must also understand. Our sins of willful disobedience against a holy God are equally reprehensible. We are not only deserving of death, we are deserving of shame. You see, Pilate did not choose the cross for Jesus. Neither did the Jewish leaders of the Sanhedrin. God chose the cross, for it was the perfect means of inflicting death through the shedding of blood, while also expressing shame through public humiliation. No means of execution was ever more fitting to demonstrate the full punishment for sin. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), but it also shows us that the horror of sin is in its ultimate shame — as it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree' (Galatians 3:13).” (Hung On a Tree By Dr. Dan Hayden) But we who trust in Jesus are now looking unto Him, "the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.’ (Heb 12:2). “See the place of honor now occupied by the victorious Son of God. The death and shame were incredibly difficult, but the accomplishing of our redemption was the basis of His joy.” (Dan Hayden)
Again, the great heap of stones over the body of the king of Ai serves as a reminder to future generations.
Joshua 8: Morning Repost- Covenant Renewal Service for Israel
30 Now Joshua built an altar to the Lord God of Israel in Mount Ebal, 31 as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses: “an altar of whole stones over which no man has wielded an iron tool.” [Deuteronomy 27:56] And they offered on it burnt offerings to the Lord, and sacrificed peace offerings. 32 And there, in the presence of the children of Israel, he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written. 33 Then all Israel, with their elders and officers and judges, stood on either side of the ark before the priests, the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord, the stranger as well as he who was born among them. Half of them were in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel. 34 And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law. 35 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, with the women, the little ones, and the strangers who were living among them.
The tabernacle was the place of worship and instruction in the wilderness, thus it was referred to as the tabernacle of the wilderness. But upon occupation of the land, as evidenced by these first victories, then Joshua built an altar, as in the days of old, getting back to that old time religion- not in any place as before, but at the two mountains of God. “This was done in obedience to the express command of God, Deuteronomy 27:1-8…
There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.
With the women and the little ones - It was necessary that all should know that they were under the same obligations to obey; even the women are brought forward, not only because of their personal responsibility, but because to them was principally intrusted the education of the children. The children also witness this solemn transaction, that a salutary fear of offending God might be early, diligently, and deeply impressed upon their hearts. Thus every precaution is taken to ensure obedience to the Divine precepts, and consequently to promote the happiness of the people; for this every ordinance of God is remarkable, as he ever causes the interest and duty of his followers to go hand in hand." (Adam Clarke Commentary)
“Then Moses and the priests, the Levites, spoke to all Israel, saying, ‘Take heed and listen, O Israel: This day you have become the people of the Lord your God. Therefore you shall obey the voice of the Lord your God, and observe His commandments and His statutes which I command you today.’
And Moses commanded the people on the same day, saying, ‘These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you have crossed over the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin; and these shall stand on Mount Ebal to curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.
And the Levites shall speak with a loud voice and say to all the men of Israel: ‘Cursed is the one who makes a carved or molded image, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen!’ (27:15)
‘Cursed is the one who treats his father or his mother with contempt.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ (27:16)
‘Cursed is the one who moves his neighbor’s landmark.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ (27:17)
‘Cursed is the one who makes the blind to wander off the road.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ (27:18)
‘Cursed is the one who perverts the justice due the stranger, the fatherless, and widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ (27:19)
‘Cursed is the one who lies with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s bed.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ (27:20)
‘Cursed is the one who lies with any kind of animal.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ (27:21)
‘Cursed is the one who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ (27:22)
‘Cursed is the one who lies with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ (27:23)
‘Cursed is the one who attacks his neighbor secretly.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ (27:24)
‘Cursed is the one who takes a bribe to slay an innocent person.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ (27:25)
‘Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law by observing them.’ and all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ (27:26)” (Deuteronomy 27:9-26)
An altar of whole stones over which no man has wielded an iron tool. [Deuteronomy 27:56] It was God's altar of salvation. Here the tribes offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings, free will offerings of the people, as it was laid on their hearts by Yahweh. This is another warning to those who try to keep the law of Yahweh as the way of salvation: ”For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them' [Deut 27:26]." (Galations 3:10) It will only won by faith in the Curse Bearer of Calvary and perseverance, by His Spirit, helping us to keep Torah.
THE BURNT OFFERING- See Leviticus 1:3-17- “The most important of all the sacrifices offered to God; called by the Septuagint ὁλοκαυτωμα, because it was wholly consumed, which was not the case in any other offering." (Adam Clarke) The penalty for sin is death. This is likely what was explained to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:21, when Yahweh made coverings of skins to cover their nakedness. It is what all of the patriarchs understood when they offered their own sacrifices on the altars they built in various places.
THE PEACE OFFERING- See Leviticus 3:1-17- the last offering. Many speak of the order of appointments of the Levitical offerings. In other words, they are sequential in the spiritual journey. Thus, the burnt offering relates to justification and the peace offering to sanctification. If a believer "were in pursuit of any mercy, he would add a peace-offering to his prayer for it. Christ is our Peace, our Peace-offering; for through Him alone it is that we can obtain an answer of peace to our prayers.” (Henry) The seeker partook of a portion of this offering. Jesus told the Jews: “Truly, truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, you have no life in you." (John 6:23) “The peace-offering was a bloody offering. Everything in Christian life, justification and sanctification, the forgiveness of our sins, and the acceptableness of our services, our hopes, and our spiritual festivities, run back into Christ’s vicarious sufferings, as their fountain and foundation. This is the centre from which all Christian doctrine, and all Christian experience, radiates, and into which it ultimately resolves itself. Without this, Christianity dwindles down into a cold and powerless morality, with no warming mysteries, no animating sublimities, no melting affections, no transforming potencies. Without this, the soul languishes like a plant excluded from the sunshine, or flourishes only in its own disgrace. If we would have a feast of fat things, the provision must come from the altar of immolation.” (J. A. Seiss, DD)
"Blessed Jesus... Lead me on, blessed Captain, conquering and to conquer: from grace to grace, and from strength to strength. And like thine army, which I here behold, teach me by thy Holy Spirit, to pause over the several victories and the redemptions which thou workest for me, to offer my sacrifice and to bless my God, as I go on, even in the presence of my foes. Do thou, blessed Jesus, who hast with thine own arm, gotten thyself the victory; do thou only hold me up, and bear me on, and carry me through, until thou shalt bring me in to the full possession of the Canaan which is above; be thou my sun and my shield, my hiding place and my covert, and then shall I assuredly know, that my God which giveth grace, will assuredly give glory.” (Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary)