and confiderately obſerved, it will appear, that there are only two parties ingaged in the taking of 47, and but one Ambuſh, as plain- ly appears by comparing verſe 9. ( which manifeſtly ſpeaks of tha party which is mentioned verſe 3.) with verſe 12. which ſpeaks on- ly of 5000, which is juſtly ſuppoſed to be a part of thoſe 30009 named verſe 3. and that part which was to 'ie in ambuſh ; unleſs we w:ll tuppoſe that there were two Ambuſhes, one of ;0000, and the other of 5000, both lying in wait in the ſame quarter, even between Bethel and 4i, on the weft ſide of 4i, the only place where the Am- buſh lay, as is ſaid borh verſe g. and 12, 13. whicl: ſeems abſurd and incredible. And beſides, in the execution of this Command, there is mention but of one Ambuſh, verles 12, 13, 14, 19. ans they are ſaid to coniiſt only of (009, verſe 12. and they only take and burn the Ciry, verſe 19. ſo that the orher ſupp: ſed Ambrſh of 30000 is perſe&ly vanithed and loft, and did nothing in this work; which alſo is ve:y improbable: And therefore, that 30000 verſe y. are the ſame who are called the pe ple, and the people of war that were with Joſhua,
verſes «, 11. which is pirched oh the North-ſice of 4, verſes 11, 13. as the Ambuſh did on the Weſt-fide; but for any other ſide of the
City, or a third party pl:ced elſe-where about Ai, we read not one word; .and therefore it may well be preſumed there were no more imployed to take it.
5 And 1, and all the people that are with me, will approach unto the-city : and it ſhall come to paſs, when they come out againſt us, as at the firſt, that we f will
. flee before them. e Or, that ſhall be; For at preſerit he ſent them away, v. 9. _ F ;
L 4
. 1 [13 | x | | [1 ;
) bY -
Rs
—IF B- 7.2. Gs wo BE ATE AG re EA OT TOE: at.
>
+ Or, ff Ali.
+ Heb: their lying in wait.
Map. Vim.
them.
| yr = the people &, 0
vere With him mw, went up, and drew nigh, and came
' night into the midft of the valley p.
| Was 'arly in the morning, 'as is faid'v. 10. forit ſeems moſt probable,
_ "upon foſe wp eavly to fight withthem, v. 14. Though others conceive
*that they haſted, and roſe up early, and the men of the *behind the City.
fame
- wards or inſight of that- plain or valley in which the 1/r2elires were,
; + 0-
the next morning followed them, ahd joined himſelf with them, verſes 10, 11. f IT and the 25000 with me. ;
6 C For they will come our after us) till we t have drawen ther from the city ; for they will ſay, They flee before as, as at the firſt: therefore wee will flee before
7 Then. ye ſhal riſe up from the ambuſh f, and ſeize xipon the city * for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.
f. To wir, upon the ſignal given, of which verſe 18. | ,
8 And it thall be when ye have taken the city, 947 ye fhall ſer the city on fire g : . according to the com- mandmentr of the LORD (hall ye do. See, I have com-
HU 4 ſuch caſes; God alſo blinding his mind, and infatuat ing him, he uſeth to do with thoſe which he intends to deſtroy.
I5 And Joſhua and all Itrael made as it they were beaten before them.s, and fled by the way of the wil- derneſs x.
# (i. ce.) Fled from them, as it were for fear of a ſecond blow : And peradventure ſome of them might be wounded, though none
were killed ; and might make thar the prerence of their flecing
away. x Which lay between 4 and Jericho, whither they now ſeemed to flee.
16 And all the people y that were in Ai, were called together-ro purſue after them, and they purſued after
Joſhua, and were drawn away from the city. y To wit, all that were able to bear arms, for old men and
manded you. £ To wit, part of it, For the whole City was not burnt now, verle 28. 3 EY 5 Joſhua therefore ſent them 5 forth, and they went to lie in ambuſh, and abode between Bethel and Ai, on the weſt-ſide of Ai; But Joſhua lodged that night among the people z. be Neg fams / party deſigned by the Pronoun them, verſe 3. of which ſee the notes there. - ; Heb. that people, ro wit, the people of war, as they are called verſe 11. to wjt, the main body of that hoſt conſiſting or 30000. : : p x0 And Joſhua roſe up early in the morning, and and went up ; he, and the elders
Ifrael /, before the people to Ai. | & Heb. that people, not all the people of Iſrael; which was need- Jefs, and required more time than could now be ſpared ; but the reſt of that hoſt of 30000, whereof 5000 were ſent away ; and now the remainder are numbred, partly to ſee whether ſome of them had nbt withdrawn themſelves, taking the advantage of the nighr, and ofthe defign of laying an ambuſh ; and partly that ir might be evident, that this work was done without any loſs of men, and thicteby they might be encouraged to truſt in God, and to proceed vigoroully and reſolutely in their work. / Either, 1. The Milita- | ry Elders, the chief Commanders of his Army. ' But they !eem to included in the:30009 verſe 3. which are ſuppoſed to be furniſh- ». and led by their ſeveral Commanders; and ſuch perſons are ſcarce ever called the Elacrs of Iſrael. Or rather 2. The chief Magi- ſtrates and Rulers of J#ael under Joſbus, who are commonly f' cal- led; and theſe, I ſuppoſe went with Joſbza, and with the Army, to take care thar the cattel and the ſpoil of the Ciry, which was given by God to all {rael for a prey, verſes 2, 27- might be juſtly and c- ually divided berween thoſe that went to barte], and the relt of epeople, according to the Example and Preſcript, Numb. 31. 27. and thar they who were preſent and affiſtant in the taking of that , might nor ingroſs the whole ro themſelves, as is uſual for Soldiers in tlioſe cafes to do.
1z And all the people, ever the people of war that
as aſign to their Brethren of their ſucceſs; but afterwards, as is faid
before the ciry, and pitched on the north-ſide of Ai : now rhere-asa valley between them and Ai. :
# To wir, the 30000 mentioned verſe 3. or the moſt of them.
12 Arid he took # abour five thouſand men, and ſet them to lie in ambufh berween Bethel, and Ai, on the welſt- ſide + of the city. Eo! |
# 'Or rather, but he had taken, to wit, out of the ſaid number of 30000, for this is added by way of Recapitulation and further Ex- plication of » hat is ſaid in general, verſeg. 13 And when they had fer the people, ever all the hoſt that 4s on the north-ſide of the city, and + their liers in wait on the weſt of the city, Jothua went © that