Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 8:10
And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.
10. numbered the people ] Rather, mustered or arrayed them. The day after the despatch of the ambush would be naturally occupied with the marshalling of the army, and the march from Gilgal to Ai, where they would arrive in the evening.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Numbered the people – Rather, perhaps, mustered or arrayed them for their march. The distance from the camp at Gilgal to Ai is about fifteen miles. In the evening of the day after the despatch of the 5,000 liers in wait, Joshua and the host might make their appearance in the neighborhood of the city.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 10. Numbered the people] vaiyiphkod eth haam, he visited the people – inspected their ranks to see whether every thing was in perfect readiness, that in case they should be needed they might be led on to the attack. There is no doubt that Joshua had left the rest of the army so disposed and ready, part of it having probably advanced towards Ai, that he might easily receive reinforcements in case of any disaster to the thirty thousand which had advanced against the city; and this consideration will serve to remove a part of the difficulty which arises from Jos 8:1; Jos 8:3; Jos 8:10, collated with other parts of this chapter. Had he brought all his troops in sight, the people of Ai would not have attempted to risk a battle, and would consequently have kept within their walls, from which it was the object of Joshua to decoy them. See the preceding observations, particularly 10, 11, and 12 (Jos 8:10-12).
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The people, Heb. that people, not all the people of Israel, which was needless, and required more time than could now be spared; but the rest of that host of thirty thousand, whereof five thousand were sent away; and now the remainder are numbered, partly to see whether some of them had not withdrawn themselves, taking the advantage of the night, and of the design of laying an ambush; and partly that it might be evident that this work was done without any loss of men, and thereby they might be encouraged to trust in God, and to proceed vigorously and resolutely in their work.
The elders of Israel; either,
1. The military elders, the chief commanders of his army. But they seem to be included in the thirty thousand, Jos 8:3, which are supposed to be furnished and led by their several commanders; and such persons are scarce ever called the
elders of Israel. Or rather,
2. The chief magistrates and rulers of Israel under Joshua, who are commonly so called; and these, I suppose, went with Joshua, and with the army, to take care that the cattle and the spoil of the city, which was given by God to all Israel for a prey, Jos 8:2,27, might be justly and equally divided between those that went to battle, and the rest of the people, according to the example and prescript, Num 31:27; and that they who were present and assistant in the taking of that city, might not engross the whole to themselves, as is usual for soldiers in those cases to do.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10. Joshua . . . numbered thepeoplethat is, the detachment of liers-in-wait; he did this,to be furnished with clear evidence afterwards, that the work hadbeen done without any loss of men, whereby the people’s confidence inGod would be strengthened and encouragement given them to prosecutethe war of invasion with vigor.
he and the elders ofIsraelthe chief magistrates and rulers, whose presence andofficial authority were necessary to ensure that the cattle and spoilof the city might be equally divided between the combatants and therest of the people (Nu 31:27)a military rule in Israel, that would have been very liable to beinfringed, if an excited soldiery, eager for booty, had been left totheir own will.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people,…. To see if there were any wanting, and to put them in proper order for their march:
and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai; these elders were either the seventy elders who went with Joshua as council to him; or it may be rather they were inferior officers, who went at the head of their respective corps under them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
10. And Joshua rose up early This must be regarded as a repetition of Jos 8:3, after the custom of oriental historians.
Numbered the people Reviewed the troops (thirty thousand) with whom he intended to capture Ai.
Went up From the Ghor, or Jordanic Valley, to the interior of Palestine. there is a steep ascent. Compare note on Luk 10:30. Ai was distant from Jericho about fifteen English miles.
And the elders As a council of war. Joshua’s impetuous and rapid movements were attended by a wise senate.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and mustered (numbered) the people, and he and the elders of Israel went up before the people to Ai.’
As usual he rose early. There was a hard climb and they wanted an early start. Then the troops were mustered and set in their units. Then Joshua and his captains led the way up to a point near Ai, followed by their troops. ‘People’ here clearly means men of war (Jos 8:11).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Ver. 10. Joshuanumbered the people That is to say, he ordered the officers to see if all their men were ready, and to begin their march by day-break, accompanied by the heads of their tribes, or judges of the people, who served him as his council of war, and were authorized, by their calling, to assist him with their advice when necessary.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
I pass over, in a short remark, the mercy of the Lord vouchsafed Israel in this victory, to call the Reader’s attention, to the manner in which the Lord was pleased to appoint the victory should be obtained; and that was, seemingly, in being overcome. Israel for awhile appeared as routed, and become an easy prey, and the enemy triumphed with an high hand. Reader, is it not so with our Almighty Joshua and his army in their warfare? Do not his people seem to flee before their enemies? When they fall, doth not the foe cry, Aha! so would we have it: and like that monster of old, who, was a type of the devil, doth he not still say, “I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil.” But, our Jesus conquers, even by apparently being overcome. By dying and by death he overcame death. And by his cross he spoiled principalities and powers, and triumphed over them openly. Oh! thou glorious Captain of our salvation, to thee belongeth the whole victory. In becoming weak thou hast conquered the strong: and in poverty opened the true riches. By thy humiliation in taking upon thee our nature, and by thy death and passion, thou hast gotten thyself the victory. Lord, lead me on in all my spiritual warfare, under thy guidance and protection: for thou art my strength and my song, and art become my salvation. Isa 12:2 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jos 8:10 And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.
Ver. 10. And Joshua rose up early in the morning. ] He is much noted for his early rising: his vigilancy being equal to his valour.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED TEXT): Jos 8:10-17
10Now Joshua rose early in the morning and mustered the people, and he went up with the elders of Israel before the people to Ai. 11Then all the people of war who were with him went up and drew near and arrived in front of the city, and camped on the north side of Ai. Now there was a valley between him and Ai. 12And he took about 5, 000 men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city. 13So they stationed the people, all the army that was on the north side of the city, and its rear guard on the west side of the city, and Joshua spent that night in the midst of the valley. 14It came about when the king of Ai saw it, that the men of the city hurried and rose up early and went out to meet Israel in battle, he and all his people at the appointed place before the desert plain. But he did not know that there was an ambush against him behind the city. 15Joshua and all Israel pretended to be beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness. 16And all the people who were in the city were called together to pursue them, and they pursued Joshua and were drawn away from the city. 17So not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who had not gone out after Israel, and they left the city unguarded and pursued Israel.
Jos 8:10-17 This paragraph gives the details of the battle for both Ai and Bethel.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
numbered = inspected or mustered.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
rose up: Jos 3:1, Jos 6:12, Jos 7:16, Psa 119:60
Reciprocal: 2Sa 18:1 – numbered
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jos 8:10. Joshua numbered the people Not all the people, which was needless, and would now have required more time than could have been spared, but that part of the army which he designed to take with him. And this, it seems, he did, that it might be evident the conquest of Ai was effected without any loss of men, and that they might be encouraged hereby to trust in God, and proceed resolutely and boldly in the work of subduing the Canaanites. The elders of Israel Their chief magistrates and rulers under Joshua. These, it is probable, went with Joshua and the army to take care that the cattle and the spoil of the city, which were given by God to all Israel for a prey, might be justly and equally divided between those that went to battle, and the rest of the people.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
8:10 And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and {d} numbered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.
(d) That is, viewed or mustered them and set them in array.