Skip to content
mannafest.faith

Joshua 7:3

in Joshua 7

On returning to Joshua, they reported, “There is no need to send all the people; two or three thousand men are enough to go up and attack Ai. Since the people of Ai are so few, you need not wear out all our people there.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV

ASV

And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; make not all the people to toil thither; for they are but few.

KJV

And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few.

This verse in Joshua 7

Commentary

2 notes on this verse

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Let not all the people go up, . . . for they are but few--As the population of Ai amounted to twelve thousand (Jos 8:25), it was a considerable town; though in the hasty and distant reconnoitre made by the spies, it probably appeared small in comparison to Jericho; and this may have been the reason for their proposing so small a detachment to capture it.

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

28 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.

  • וַיָּשֻׁ֣בוּand they returned

    vaiyashuvuH77251056 times

  • אֶל־to

    ʾel-H4135510 times

  • יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַJoshua

    yehoshua'H3091218 times

  • וַיֹּאמְר֣וּand they said

    vaiyomeruH5595305 times

  • אֵלָיו֮to him

    ʾelavH4135510 times

  • אַל־may not

    ʾal-H408724 times

  • יַ֣עַלit go up

    yaalH5927890 times

  • כָּל־all

    kol-H36055413 times

  • הָעָם֒the people

    haamH59711873 times

  • כְּאַלְפַּ֣יִםabout two thousand

    kealpayimH505505 times

  • אִ֗ישׁman

    ʾishH3761663 times

  • א֚וֹor

    ʾoH176

  • כִּשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁתabout three

    kishloshetH7969432 times

  • אֲלָפִ֣יםthousand<s>

    ʾalafimH505505 times

  • אִ֔ישׁman

    ʾishH3761663 times

  • יַעֲל֖וּlet them go up

    yaaluH5927890 times

  • וְיַכּ֣וּand they may attack

    veyakuH5221499 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H85310935 times

  • הָעָ֑י<the> Ai

    haaiH585740 times

  • אַל־may not

    ʾal-H408724 times

  • תְּיַגַּע־you make go wearily

    teyaga'-H3021

  • שָׁ֙מָּה֙there towards

    shamahH8033834 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H85310935 times

  • כָּל־all

    kol-H36055413 times

  • הָעָ֔םthe people

    haamH59711873 times

  • כִּ֥יfor

    kiH35884482 times

  • מְעַ֖ט[are] few

    meatH4592

  • הֵֽמָּה׃they

    hemahH1992553 times

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

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

    2 Peter 1:5

    For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;

    it leads to

    • Philippians 4:8

      Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.

    • Hebrews 6:11

      We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Proverbs 4:23

      Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.

    • 2 Peter 3:18

      But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

    • 2 Peter 1:2–3

      Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

  • Through

    Luke 13:24

    “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.

    it leads to

    • Matthew 7:13–14

      Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.

    • 2 Peter 1:10

      Therefore, brothers, strive to make your calling and election sure. For if you practice these things you will never stumble,

  • Through

    Hebrews 4:11

    Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same pattern of disobedience.

    it leads to

    • Matthew 11:28–30

      Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

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

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