Joshua 8:24

Joshua 8:24 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword.
• New International Version (NIV)When Israel had finished killing all the men of Ai in the fields and in the wilderness where they had chased them, and when every one of them had been put to the sword, all the Israelites returned to Ai and killed those who were in it.
• English Standard Version (ESV)When Israel had finished killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the open wilderness where they pursued them, and all of them to the very last had fallen by the edge of the sword, all Israel returned to Ai and struck it down with the edge of the sword.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And it came to pass when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness where they pursued them, and when they all had fallen by the edge of the sword until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned to Ai and struck it with the edge of the sword.

Context of Joshua 8:24

22Meanwhile, the Israelites who were inside the town came out and attacked the enemy from the rear. So the men of Ai were caught in the middle, with Israelite fighters on both sides. Israel attacked them, and not a single person survived or escaped. 23Only the king of Ai was taken alive and brought to Joshua. When the Israelite army finished chasing and killing all the men of Ai in the open fields, they went back and finished off everyone inside. 25So the entire population of Ai, including men and women, was wiped out that day—12,000 in all. 26For Joshua kept holding out his spear until everyone who had lived in Ai was completely destroyed.

Joshua 8:24 word by word

וַיְהִ֣י כְּכַלּ֣וֹת יִשְׂרָאֵ֡ל לַהֲרֹג֩ אֶת־כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֨י הָעַ֜י בַּשָּׂדֶ֗ה בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר רְדָפ֣וּם בּ֔וֹ וַֽיִּפְּל֥וּ כֻלָּ֛ם לְפִי־חֶ֖רֶב עַד־תֻּמָּ֑ם וַיָּשֻׁ֤בוּ כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ הָעַ֔י וַיַּכּ֥וּ אֹתָ֖הּ לְפִי־חָֽרֶב׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And it came to pass, when Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• had made an endכָּלָהkâlâh · to end: finishH3615
• of slayingהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
• all the inhabitantsיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• of Aiעַי‛ay ‛ayâ' ‛ayâth · AiH5857
• in the fieldשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: countryH7704
• in the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
• wherein they chasedרָדַףrâdaph · to pursueH7291
• them, and when they were all fallenנָפַלnâphal · to fall: killH5307
• on the edgeפֶּהpeh · lip: edgeH6310
• of the swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• until they were consumedתָּמַםtâmam · to finishH8552
• returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• and smoteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221

Cross-references for Joshua 8:24

• Joshua 10:30There, too, the Lord gave them the town and its king. He killed everyone in it, leaving no survivors. Then Joshua killed the king of Libnah as he had killed the king of Jericho.
• Joshua 11:10Joshua then turned back and captured Hazor and killed its king. (Hazor had at one time been the capital of all these kingdoms.)
• Numbers 21:24But the Israelites slaughtered them with their swords and occupied their land from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River. They went only as far as the Ammonite border because the boundary of the Ammonites was fortified.

Commentaries on Joshua 8:24

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24Returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword. - This must refer to the women, children, and old persons, left behind; for it is likely that all the effective men had sallied out when they imagined the Israelites had fled. See Joshua 8:16.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 23-29Verses 23-29 God, the righteous Judge, had sentenced the Canaanites for their wickedness; the Israelites only executed his doom. None of their conduct can be drawn into an example for others. Especial reason no doubt there was for this severity to the king of Ai; it is likely he had been notoriously wicked and vile, and a blasphemer of the God of Israel.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2518-25. Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city--The uplifted spear had probably a flag, or streamer on it, to render it the more conspicuous from the height where he stood. At the sight of this understood signal the ambush nearest the city, informed by their scouts, made a sudden rush and took possession of the city, telegraphing to their brethren by raising a smoke from the walls. Upon seeing this, the main body, who had…Read the comment

Topics related to Joshua 8:24

• Massacre
• Strategy
• War

In the dictionaries

• Ai
• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Ambush
• Heap
• Raise
• Wait
• Exodus, the Book of
• Joshua, Book of

Commentaries on Joshua 8

• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings