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Joshua 7:2

in Joshua 7

Meanwhile, Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the land.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aven, on the east side of Beth-el, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and spy out the land. And the men went up and spied out Ai.

KJV

And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth–aven, on the east side of Beth–el, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.

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This verse in Joshua 7

Commentary

2 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

Sent men from Jericho to Ai - This is the place called Hai, Gen 12:8. It was in the east of Beth-el, north of Jericho, from which it was distant about ten or twelve miles. From Jos 7:4, Jos 7:5 it appears to have been situated upon a hill, and belonged to the Amorites, as we learn from Jos 7:7. It is very likely that it was a strong place, as it chose to risk a siege, notwithstanding the extraordinary destruction of Jericho which it had lately witnessed.

This site's exposition

sent men from Jericho to

on Joshua 7:2-3

Jericho was taken on instructions given in advance, by a plan no commander would have chosen. Ai is scouted first, and the force is sized by an estimate of the enemy, they are but few, with the added reason that the march is not worth the labour. Nobody asks God anything in these two verses, which is the lapse the book states outright at 9:14, when Israel makes a league with Gibeon and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord. Barnes works the town's fighting strength back from the twelve thousand of 8:25, so the arithmetic of the spies was sound; what it left out was the reason the last wall came down.

The words behind it

24 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וַיִּשְׁלַח֩and he sent

    vaiyishlachH7971 →845 times

  • יְהוֹשֻׁ֨עַJoshua

    yehoshua'H3091 →218 times

  • אֲנָשִׁ֜יםmen

    ʾanashimH582 →566 times

  • מִֽירִיח֗וֹfrom Jericho

    mirichoH3405 →57 times

  • הָעַ֞י<the> Ai

    haaiH5857 →40 times

  • אֲשֶׁ֨רwhich

    ʾasherH834 →5497 times

  • עִם־[is] beside

    ʾim-H5973 →1050 times

  • בֵּ֥יתBeth

    beitH1007 →14 times

  • אָ֙וֶן֙Aven

    ʾavenH1007 →14 times

  • מִקֶּ֣דֶםfrom [the] east

    mikedemH6924 →87 times

  • לְבֵֽית־of Beth-

    leveit-H1008 →142 times

  • אֵ֔ל-el

    ʾelH1008 →142 times

  • וַיֹּ֤אמֶרand he said

    vaiyomerH559 →5305 times

  • אֲלֵיהֶם֙to them

    ʾaleihemH413 →5510 times

  • לֵאמֹ֔ר<to> saying

    lemorH559 →5305 times

  • עֲל֖וּgo up

    ʾaluH5927 →890 times

  • וְרַגְּל֣וּand spy out

    verageluH7270 →25 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • הָאָ֑רֶץthe land

    haaretzH776 →2504 times

  • וַֽיַּעֲלוּ֙and they went up

    vaiyaaluH5927 →890 times

  • הָאֲנָשִׁ֔יםthe men

    haanashimH582 →566 times

  • וַֽיְרַגְּל֖וּand they spied out

    vayrageluH7270 →25 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • הָעָֽי׃<the> Ai

    haaiH5857 →40 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Joshua 18:12On the north side their border began at the Jordan, went up past the northern slope of Jericho, headed west through the hill country, and came out at the wilderness of Beth-aven.7 works1 Samuel 14:23So the LORD saved Israel that day, and the battle moved on beyond Beth-aven.4 worksHosea 4:15Though you prostitute yourself, O Israel, may Judah avoid such guilt! Do not journey to Gilgal, do not go up to Beth-aven, and do not swear on oath, ‘As surely as the LORD lives!’4 works1 Samuel 13:5Now the Philistines assembled to fight against Israel with three thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Michmash, east of Beth-aven.4 worksMatthew 10:16Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.3 worksGenesis 12:8From there Abram moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to the LORD, and he called on the name of the LORD.3 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Proverbs 20:18Set plans by consultation, and wage war under sound guidance.3 worksProverbs 24:6Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.3 worksGenesis 28:19and he called that place Bethel, though previously the city had been named Luz.2 worksEphesians 5:15Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,2 worksNehemiah 11:31The descendants of Benjamin from Geba lived in Michmash, Aija, and Bethel with its villages;2 worksJoshua 2:1Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim, saying, “Go, inspect the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.2 worksJoshua 12:9the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is near Bethel, one;2 works1 Samuel 30:27He sent gifts to those in Bethel, Ramoth Negev, and Jattir;2 worksEzra 2:28the men of Bethel and Ai, 223;2 worksHosea 10:5The people of Samaria will fear for the calf of Beth-aven. Indeed, its people will mourn with its idolatrous priests— those who rejoiced in its glory— for it has been taken from them into exile.2 worksHosea 5:8Blow the ram’s horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah; raise the battle cry in Beth-aven: Lead on, O Benjamin!2 worksIsaiah 10:28Assyria has entered Aiath and passed through Migron, storing their supplies at Michmash.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Matthew 10:16

    Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

    it leads to

    • Philippians 2:15

      so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world

    • Luke 10:3

      Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.

    • 1 Corinthians 14:20

      Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.

    • Colossians 4:5

      Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time.

    • Ephesians 5:15–17

      Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,

  • Through

    1 Samuel 14:23

    So the LORD saved Israel that day, and the battle moved on beyond Beth-aven.

    it leads to

    • Exodus 14:30

      That day the LORD saved Israel from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the shore.

  • Through

    Hosea 4:15

    Though you prostitute yourself, O Israel, may Judah avoid such guilt! Do not journey to Gilgal, do not go up to Beth-aven, and do not swear on oath, ‘As surely as the LORD lives!’

    it leads to

    • Hosea 10:5

      The people of Samaria will fear for the calf of Beth-aven. Indeed, its people will mourn with its idolatrous priests— those who rejoiced in its glory— for it has been taken from them into…

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Hosea 9:15

      All their evil appears at Gilgal, for there I hated them. I will drive them from My house for the wickedness of their deeds. I will no longer love them; all their leaders are…

Where this verse is studied

About Joshua

Achan Is Stoned to Death — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
Achan Is Stoned to Death — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
Joshua: the study guide →Read Joshua 7 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament and Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Joshua 7 →