Revised Literal Translation
Joshua 7:2
2And 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.
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
1But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of Yhwh was kindled against the children of Israel. 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. 3And 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. 4So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and 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
- And Joshuaיְהוֹשׁוּעַyehôshûa‛ yehôshûa‛ · JoshuaH3091
- sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- from Jerichoיְרִיחוֹyerîychô yerêchô yerîychôh · JerichoH3405
- to Aiעַי‛ay ‛ayâ' ‛ayâth · AiH5857
- besideעִם‛im · withH5973
- Beth–avenבֵּית אָ֫וֶןbêyth 'âven · Beth-avenH1007
- on the east sideקֶ֫דֶםqedem qêdmâh · front: eastH6924
- of Beth–elבֵּֽיתְ־אֵלbêyth-'êl · BethelH1008
- and spakeאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Go upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- and viewרָגַלrâgal · to spyH7270
- the countryאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
Cross-references for Joshua 7:2
- Joshua 12:9The king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Beth–el, one;
- Genesis 12:8And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Beth–el, and pitched his tent, having Beth–el on the west, and Ai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto Yhwh, and called upon the name of Yhwh.
- Joshua 18:12And their border on the north side was from Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north side, and went up through the mountains westward; and the goings out thereof were at the wilderness of Beth–aven.
- Genesis 28:19And he called the name of that place Beth–el: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.
- Hosea 4:15Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth–aven, nor swear, Yhwh liveth.
- Joshua 2:1And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there.
- Proverbs 20:18Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
- Proverbs 24:6For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.
- Matthew 10:16Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
- Ephesians 5:15See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, 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
Revised Literal Translation — © 2018 Michael W. Jones, Sr. — GPL
Commentaries