Joshua 7:4 - Forerunner Commentary

Joshua 7:4

2 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.

3 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.”

4 So about three thousand men went up there from the people, ^abut they fled before the men of Ai.

5 And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men, for they chased them from before the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent; therefore ^athe hearts of the people melted and became like water.

6 Then Joshua ^atore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they ^bput dust on their heads.

7 And Joshua said, “Alas, Lord¹ God, ^awhy have You brought this people over the Jordan at all—to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? Oh, that we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan!

8 O Lord, what shall I say when Israel turns its¹ back before its enemies?

Verse Comparison: Joshua 7:4

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American Standard Version
So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai.

Amplified® Bible
So about three thousand Israelites went up there, but they fled before the men of Ai.

Contemporary English Version
Joshua sent about three thousand soldiers to attack Ai. But the men of Ai fought back and chased the Israelite soldiers away from the town gate and down the hill to the stone quarries. Thirty-six Israelite soldiers were killed, and the Israelite army felt discouraged.

Darby English Version
And there went up thither of the people about three thousand men, but they fled before the men of Ai.

Good News Bible
So about three thousand Israelites made the attack, but they were forced to retreat.

King James Version
So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai.

New American Standard Bible
So about three thousand men from the people went up there, but they fled from the men of Ai.

New International Version
So about three thousand men went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai,

New King James Version
So about three thousand men went up there from the people, but they fled before the men of Ai.

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
So about three thousand men from the people went up there, but they fled from the men of Ai.

Revised Standard Version
So about three thousand went up there from the people; and they fled before the men of Ai,

Young's Literal Translation
And there go up of the people thither about three thousand men, and they flee before the men of Ai,

New English Translation
So about three thousand men went up, but they fled from the men of Ai.

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