Berean Standard Bible
Joshua 7:2
2Meanwhile, 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.
Joshua 7:2 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (NIV)Now 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 region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, "Go up and spy out the land." And the men went up and spied out Ai.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, “Go up and spy out the country.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.
Context of Joshua 7:2
1The Israelites, however, acted unfaithfully regarding the things devoted to destruction. Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of what was set apart. So the anger of the LORD burned against the Israelites. 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. 3On 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.” 4So about three thousand men went up, but they fled before the men of Ai.
Read all of Joshua 7Joshua 7:2 word by word
וַיִּשְׁלַח֩ יְהוֹשֻׁ֨עַ אֲנָשִׁ֜ים מִֽירִיח֗וֹ הָעַ֞י אֲשֶׁ֨ר עִם־בֵּ֥ית אָ֙וֶן֙ מִקֶּ֣דֶם לְבֵֽית־אֵ֔ל וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר עֲל֖וּ וְרַגְּל֣וּ אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַֽיַּעֲלוּ֙ הָאֲנָשִׁ֔ים וַֽיְרַגְּל֖וּ אֶת־הָעָֽי׃Read the interlinear
- Meanwhile, Joshuaיְהוֹשׁוּעַyehôshûa‛ yehôshûa‛ · JoshuaH3091
- sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- from Jerichoיְרִיחוֹyerîychô yerêchô yerîychôh · JerichoH3405
- to Aiעַי‛ay ‛ayâ' ‛ayâth · AiH5857
- whichאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
- is nearעִם‛im · withH5973
- Beth-avenבֵּית אָ֫וֶןbêyth 'âven · Beth-avenH1007
- to the eastקֶ֫דֶםqedem qêdmâh · front: eastH6924
- of Bethelבֵּֽיתְ־אֵלbêyth-'êl · BethelH1008
- and told themאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- and told themאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- Go upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- and spy outרָגַלrâgal · to spyH7270
- ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
- the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
Cross-references for Joshua 7:2
- Joshua 12:9the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is near Bethel, one;
- Genesis 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.
- 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.
- Genesis 28:19and he called that place Bethel, though previously the city had been named Luz.
- Hosea 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!’
- Joshua 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.
- Proverbs 20:18Set plans by consultation, and wage war under sound guidance.
- Proverbs 24:6Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.
- Matthew 10:16Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
- Ephesians 5:15Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
Commentaries on Joshua 7:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Sent men from Jericho to Ai - This is the place called Hai, Genesis 12:8. It was in the east of Beth-el, north of Jericho, from which it was distant about ten or twelve miles. From Joshua 7:4, Joshua 7:5; it appears to have been situated upon a hill, and belonged to the Amorites, as we learn from Joshua 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…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Ai, Bethel - See Genesis 12:8 note. (Modern travelers place the former at Khan Haiy, in the neighborhood of Deir Diwan.)Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2As he did before the battle for Jericho, Joshua sent some of his men to assess the situation at Ai. This town was about 16 kilometers (10 miles) west of Jericho. It lay at the entrance to a plateau north of Jerusalem called the Plateau of Benjamin. If Israel captured Ai, it would gain control of the hill country. Beth-aven, which means “house of iniquity” (place of wrongdoing), was probably an intentional wordplay on the name Bethel, which means “house of…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-262. Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai--After the sacking of Jericho, the next step was to penetrate into the hills above. Accordingly, spies went up the mountain pass to view the country. The precise site of Ai, or Hai, is indicated with sufficient clearness (Ge 12:8; 13:3) and has been recently discovered in an isolated tell, called by the natives Tell-el-Hajar, "the mount of stones," at two miles', or thirty-five minutes' distance, east southeast from…Read the comment
Topics related to Joshua 7:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Joshua 7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
Berean Standard Bible — © Berean Bible — CC0 / Public Domain
Commentaries