Joshua 7:3
in Joshua 7On 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 verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
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 wordsEvery 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.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיָּשֻׁ֣בוּ | vaiyashuvu | and they returned | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ | yehoshua' | Joshua | H3091 → | 218 times |
| וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ | vaiyomeru | and they said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֵלָיו֮ | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| יַ֣עַל | yaal | it go up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָעָם֒ | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| כְּאַלְפַּ֣יִם | kealpayim | about two thousand | H505 → | 505 times |
| אִ֗ישׁ | ʾish | man | H376 → | 1663 times |
| א֚וֹ | ʾo | or | H176 → | |
| כִּשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת | kishloshet | about three | H7969 → | 432 times |
| אֲלָפִ֣ים | ʾalafim | thousand<s> | H505 → | 505 times |
| אִ֔ישׁ | ʾish | man | H376 → | 1663 times |
| יַעֲל֖וּ | yaalu | let them go up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| וְיַכּ֣וּ | veyaku | and they may attack | H5221 → | 499 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָעָ֑י | haai | <the> Ai | H5857 → | 40 times |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תְּיַגַּע־ | teyaga'- | you make go wearily | H3021 → | |
| שָׁ֙מָּה֙ | shamah | there towards | H8033 → | 834 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָעָ֔ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| מְעַ֖ט | meat | [are] few | H4592 → | |
| הֵֽמָּה׃ | hemah | they | H1992 → | 553 times |
וַיָּשֻׁ֣בוּand they returned
vaiyashuvuH7725 →1056 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַJoshua
yehoshua'H3091 →218 times
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּand they said
vaiyomeruH559 →5305 times
אֵלָיו֮to him
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
יַ֣עַלit go up
yaalH5927 →890 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הָעָם֒the people
haamH5971 →1873 times
כְּאַלְפַּ֣יִםabout two thousand
kealpayimH505 →505 times
אִ֗ישׁman
ʾishH376 →1663 times
א֚וֹor
ʾoH176 →
כִּשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁתabout three
kishloshetH7969 →432 times
אֲלָפִ֣יםthousand<s>
ʾalafimH505 →505 times
אִ֔ישׁman
ʾishH376 →1663 times
יַעֲל֖וּlet them go up
yaaluH5927 →890 times
וְיַכּ֣וּand they may attack
veyakuH5221 →499 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הָעָ֑י<the> Ai
haaiH5857 →40 times
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תְּיַגַּע־you make go wearily
teyaga'-H3021 →
שָׁ֙מָּה֙there towards
shamahH8033 →834 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הָעָ֔םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
כִּ֥יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
מְעַ֖ט[are] few
meatH4592 →
הֵֽמָּה׃they
hemahH1992 →553 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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 1:5For 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.
- Philippians 4:8
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,
- Matthew 7:13–14
Through
Hebrews 4:11Let 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.
- Matthew 11:28–30
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Joshua

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament and Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible.
