Joshua 8:17
in Joshua 8Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel, leaving the city wide open while they pursued Israel.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And there was not a man left in Ai or Beth-el, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.
KJV
And there was not a man left in Ai or Beth–el, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.
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This verse in Joshua 8
Commentary
7 notes on this verseThere was not a man left in Ai or Beth-el - It is very likely that the principal strength of Beth-el had been previously brought into Ai, as the strongest place to make a stand in; Beth-el being but about three miles distant from Ai, and probably not greatly fortified. Therefore Ai contained on this occasion all the men of Beth-el - all the warriors of that city, as well as its own troops and inhabitants.
This site's exposition
Then all the men of Ai were summoned to pursue them
on Joshua 8:16-17
Bethel empties itself into the field with Ai, and Clarke takes it that Bethel’s fighting men had already moved into Ai. This chapter never records Bethel taken. Its king is listed among the defeated at 12:16, and Judges 1:22-25 tells of the house of Joseph taking the town later.
This site's exposition
left in Ai or Bethel
The words or Bethel are missing from the Septuagint. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown record that some eminent scholars reject them as a later addition to the text. John Wesley reads not a man as every man fit for war, which leaves in the town only those unfit for war.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Though they had a king of their own, and were not subjects to the king of Ai (for the king of Beth-el is reckoned among the thirty-one kings that Joshua destroyed, ch. xii.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Not a man - Namely, fit for war. Bethel - Which, being a neighbouring city, and encouraged by the former success, had sent some forces to assist them; and now, upon notice sent to them of the flight of their common enemies, or upon some other signal given, all their men of war join with those of Ai in the pursuit.
And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel that went not out after Israel,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
It may be remarked, however, that the words, "or Beth-el," are not in the Septuagint, and are rejected by some eminent scholars, as an interpolation not found in the most ancient manuscripts.
The words behind it
18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְלֹֽא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| נִשְׁאַ֣ר | nishar | he remained | H7604 → | 133 times |
| אִ֗ישׁ | ʾish | anyone | H376 → | 1663 times |
| בָּעַי֙ | baai | in <the> Ai | H5857 → | 40 times |
| וּבֵ֣ית | uveit | and Beth- | H1008 → | 142 times |
| אֵ֔ל | ʾel | -el | H1008 → | 142 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יָצְא֖וּ | yatzeu | they went out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| אַחֲרֵ֣י | ʾacharei | after | H310 → | 715 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וַיַּעַזְב֤וּ | vaiyaazvu | and they left | H5800 → | 215 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָעִיר֙ | hair | the city | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| פְּתוּחָ֔ה | petuchah | open | H6605 → | |
| וַֽיִּרְדְּפ֖וּ | vaiyirdefu | and they pursued | H7291 → | 143 times |
| אַחֲרֵ֥י | ʾacharei | after | H310 → | 715 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
וְלֹֽא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
נִשְׁאַ֣רhe remained
nisharH7604 →133 times
אִ֗ישׁanyone
ʾishH376 →1663 times
בָּעַי֙in <the> Ai
baaiH5857 →40 times
וּבֵ֣יתand Beth-
uveitH1008 →142 times
אֵ֔ל-el
ʾelH1008 →142 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwho
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
יָצְא֖וּthey went out
yatzeuH3318 →1067 times
אַחֲרֵ֣יafter
ʾachareiH310 →715 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וַיַּעַזְב֤וּand they left
vaiyaazvuH5800 →215 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הָעִיר֙the city
hairH5892 →1090 times
פְּתוּחָ֔הopen
petuchahH6605 →
וַֽיִּרְדְּפ֖וּand they pursued
vaiyirdefuH7291 →143 times
אַחֲרֵ֥יafter
ʾachareiH310 →715 times
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 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
Deuteronomy 2:30But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass through, for the LORD your God had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into your hand, as…
it leads to
- Exodus 4:21
The LORD instructed Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put within your power. But I will harden his heart so that…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Numbers 21:23
But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. Instead, he gathered his whole army and went out to confront Israel in the wilderness. When he came to Jahaz, he fought against Israel.
- Exodus 4:21
Through
Job 5:13He catches the wise in their craftiness, and sweeps away the plans of the cunning.
it leads to
- Psalms 9:15–16
The nations have fallen into a pit of their making; their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.
- 1 Corinthians 3:19
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.”
- Luke 1:51
He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
- Psalms 7:15–16
He has dug a hole and hollowed it out; he has fallen into a pit of his own making.
- 1 Corinthians 1:19–20
For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
- Psalms 9:15–16
Through
Joshua 11:20For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts to engage Israel in battle, so that they would be set apart for destruction and would receive no mercy, being annihilated as the LORD…
it leads to
- Romans 9:18
Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden.
- Romans 9:18
Where this verse is studied
About Joshua
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.