New American Standard Bible 1995
Joshua 7:3
3They returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not let all the people go up; only about two or three thousand men need go up 1to Ai; do not make all the people toil up there, for they are few.”
Joshua 7:3 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (NIV)When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And they returned to Joshua and said to him, "Do not have all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not make the whole people toil up there, for they are few."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not let all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not weary all the people there, for the people of Ai are few.”
Context of Joshua 7:3
1But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully in regard to the things under the ban, for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, took some of the things under the ban, therefore the anger of the Lord burned against the sons of Israel. 2Now 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.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. They returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not let all the people go up; only about two or three thousand men need go up to Ai; do not make all the people toil up there, for they are few.” 4So about three thousand men from the people went up there, but they fled from the men of Ai. 5The men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of their men, and pursued them from the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them down on the descent, so the hearts of the people melted and became as water.
Read all of Joshua 7Joshua 7:3 word by word
וַיָּשֻׁ֣בוּ אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָיו֮ אַל־יַ֣עַל כָּל־הָעָם֒ כְּאַלְפַּ֣יִם אִ֗ישׁ א֚וֹ כִּשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֣ים אִ֔ישׁ יַעֲל֖וּ וְיַכּ֣וּ אֶת־הָעָ֑י אַל־תְּיַגַּע־שָׁ֙מָּה֙ אֶת־כָּל־הָעָ֔ם כִּ֥י מְעַ֖ט הֵֽמָּה׃Read the interlinear
- They returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- to Joshuaיְהוֹשׁוּעַyehôshûa‛ yehôshûa‛ · JoshuaH3091
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- to him, “Do not let allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
- the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- goעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- about two orאוֹ'ô 'av · orH176
- threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
- thousandאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505
- menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- to Aiעַי‛ay ‛ayâ' ‛ayâth · AiH5857
- toilיָגֵעַyâga‛ · be weary/toilH3021
- up thereשָׁםshâm · thereH8033
- for they are fewמְעַטme‛aţ me‛âţ · littleH4592
Cross-references for Joshua 7:3
- Proverbs 13:4The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, But the soul of the diligent is made fat.
- Proverbs 21:25The desire of the sluggard puts him to death, For his hands refuse to work;
- Luke 13:24“Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
- Hebrews 4:11Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.
- Hebrews 6:11And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end,
- 2 Peter 1:5Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,
Commentaries on Joshua 7:3
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3The total population of Ai was about twelve thousand Joshua 8:25. It could therefore hardly muster three thousand warriors.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4God’s gift of victory at Jericho seems to have led to complacency and overconfidence (a false sense of security). Joshua did not even ask God for guidance before he sent a small group of soldiers to Ai.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. 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.Read the comment
Topics related to Joshua 7:3
In the dictionaries
Notes
- 1. Joshua 7:3 Lit and smite ↩
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
New American Standard Bible 1995 — © 1960–1995 The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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