Berean Standard Bible
Joshua 7:5
5And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of them, chasing them from the gate as far as the quarries1 and striking them down on the slopes. So the hearts of the people melted and became like water.
Joshua 7:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.
- New International Version (NIV)who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water.
- English Standard Version (ESV)and the men of Ai killed about thirty-six of their men and chased them before the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them at the descent. And the hearts of the people melted and became as water.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men, for they chased them from before the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent; therefore the hearts of the people melted and became like water.
Context of Joshua 7:5
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. And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of them, chasing them from the gate as far as the quarries and striking them down on the slopes. So the hearts of the people melted and became like water. 6Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown before the ark of the LORD until evening, as did the elders of Israel; and they all sprinkled dust on their heads. 7“O, Lord GOD,” Joshua said, “why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to be destroyed? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan!
Read all of Joshua 7Joshua 7:5 word by word
וַיַּכּ֨וּ מֵהֶ֜ם אַנְשֵׁ֣י הָעַ֗י כִּשְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים וְשִׁשָּׁה֙ אִ֔ישׁ וַֽיִּרְדְּפ֞וּם לִפְנֵ֤י הַשַּׁ֙עַר֙ עַד־הַשְּׁבָרִ֔ים וַיַּכּ֖וּם בַּמּוֹרָ֑ד וַיִּמַּ֥ס לְבַב־הָעָ֖ם וַיְהִ֥י לְמָֽיִם׃Read the interlinear
- And the menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- of Aiעַי‛ay ‛ayâ' ‛ayâth · AiH5857
- struck downנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- struck downאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- about thirty-six of themשְׁלֹשִׁיםshelôshîym shelôshîym · thirtyH7970
- about thirty-six of themשֵׁשׁshêsh shishshâh · sixH8337
- chasing themרָדַףrâdaph · to pursueH7291
- fromפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- the gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
- as far asעַד‛ad · tillH5704
- the quarriesשְׁבָרִיםshebârîym · ShebarimH7671
- on the slopesמוֹרָדmôrâd · descentH4174
- So the heartsלֵבָבlêbâb · heartH3824
- of the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- meltedמָסַסmâsas · to meltH4549
- and becameהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
- like waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
Cross-references for Joshua 7:5
- Deuteronomy 1:44Then the Amorites who lived in the hills came out against you and chased you like a swarm of bees. They routed you from Seir all the way to Hormah.
- Joshua 2:9and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of you.
- Joshua 5:1Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted and their spirits failed for fear of the Israelites.
- Leviticus 26:36As for those of you who survive, I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies, so that even the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to flight. And they will flee as one flees the sword, and fall when no one pursues them.
- Psalms 22:14I am poured out like water, and all my bones are disjointed. My heart is like wax; it melts away within me.
- Isaiah 13:7Therefore all hands will fall limp, and every man’s heart will melt.
Commentaries on Joshua 7:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5They chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim - They seem to have presumed that the men of Ai would have immediately opened their gates to them, and therefore they marched up with confidence; but the enemy appearing, they were put to flight, their ranks utterly broken, and thirty-six of them killed. שברים Shebarim signifies breaches or broken places, and may here apply to the ranks of the Israelites, which were broken by the men of Ai; for the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Shebarim - Rather, perhaps, “the stone quarries.” The smallness of the slaughter among the Israelites indicates that they fled early, probably without real conflict in battle.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5Ai’s defenders left through the town gate and attacked Israel’s troops directly (see 8:5). as far as the quarries: This is a place not known from other sources.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-54-5. they fled before the men of Ai--An unexpected resistance, and the loss of thirty-six of their number diffused a panic, which ended in an ignominious rout.Read the comment
Topics related to Joshua 7:5
In the dictionaries
Notes
- 1. Joshua 7:5 Or as far as Shebarim ↩
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
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