Joshua 7:3

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.
• 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.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)When they returned, they told Joshua, “There’s no need for all of us to go up there; it won’t take more than two or three thousand men to attack Ai. Since there are so few of them, don’t make all our people struggle to go up there.”

Context of Joshua 7:3

1But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel. 2Now 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. 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.” 4So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, 5who 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.

Joshua 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• And they returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• to Joshuaיְהוֹשׁוּעַyehôshûa‛ yehôshûa‛ · JoshuaH3091
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto him, Let not all the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• go upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• but let about two or threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
• thousandאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505
• menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• and smiteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• Aiעַי‛ay ‛ayâ' ‛ayâth · AiH5857
• to labourיָגֵעַyâga‛ · be weary/toilH3021
• fewמְעַטme‛aţ me‛âţ · littleH4592

Cross-references for Joshua 7:3

• Proverbs 13:4A sluggard’s appetite is never filled, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.
• Proverbs 21:25The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work.
• Luke 13:24“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.
• Hebrews 4:11Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.
• Hebrews 6:11We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized.
• 2 Peter 1:5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, 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

• Armies

In the dictionaries

• Ai
• Joshua
• Folly
• Hide
• Tell
• Wedge
• Achan
• Covetousness
• Exodus, the Book of
• Guilt

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