Joshua 8:15
A plain-spoken deep dive on this verse. Read the chapter →
Joshua and all Israel let themselves be beaten back before them, and they fled toward the wilderness.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
The embarrassment which Achan's sin gave to the affairs of Israel being over, we have them here in a very good posture again, the affairs both of war and religion. Here is, I. The glorious progress of their arms in the taking of Ai, before which they had lately suffered disgrace. 1. God encourages Joshua to attack it, with the assurance of success, and directs him what method to take (Jos 8:1, Jos 8:2). 2. Joshua gives orders accordingly to the men of war (Jos 8:3-8). 3. The stratagem is managed as it was projected, and succeeds as it was desired (Jos 8:9-22). 4. Joshua becomes master of this city, puts all the inhabitants to the sword, burns it, hangs the king, but gives the plunder to the soldiers (Jos 8:23-29). II. The great solemnity of writing and reading the law before a general assembly of all Israel, drawn up for that purpose upon the two mountains of Gerizim and Ebal, according to an order which Moses had received from the Lord, and delivered to them (Jos 8:30-35). Thus did they take their work before them, and make the business of their religion to keep pace with their secular business.
Open source ↗8:15 Joshua and the Israelite army fled as in the first attack (7:4-5).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
On the north side their border began at the Jordan, went up past the northern slope of Jericho, headed west through the hill country, and came out at the wilderness of Beth-aven.
Then the Benjamites realized they had been defeated. Now the men of Israel had retreated before Benjamin because they were relying on the ambush they had set against Gibeah.
These were in the wilderness:
The allotment for the descendants of Joseph extended from the Jordan at Jericho to the waters of Jericho on the east, through the wilderness that goes up from Jericho into the hill country of Bethel.