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.
• 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 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 the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel. 2And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. And they returned to Joshua, and said to 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 there; for they are but few. 4So there went up there from the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. 5And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even to Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: therefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as 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

• returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• Joshuaיְהוֹשׁוּעַyehôshûa‛ yehôshûa‛ · JoshuaH3091
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
• thousandאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505
• menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• smiteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• Aiעַי‛ay ‛ayâ' ‛ayâth · AiH5857
• labourיָגֵעַyâga‛ · be weary/toilH3021
• fewמְעַטme‛aţ me‛âţ · littleH4592

Cross-references for Joshua 7:3

• Proverbs 13:4The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.
• Proverbs 21:25The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.
• Luke 13:24Strive to enter in at the narrow gate: for many, I say to you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
• Hebrews 4:11Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
• Hebrews 6:11And we desire each one of you to show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end:
• 2 Peter 1:5And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue 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