King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which [is] beside Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.
Complete Jewish Bible:
Y'hoshua sent men from Yericho to 'Ai, which is next to Beit-Aven, east of Beit-El, telling them to go up and spy out the land. So the men went up, reconnoitered 'Ai,
Berean Standard Bible:
Meanwhile, 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 land.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.
American Standard Version:
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 spy out the land. And the men went up and spied out Ai.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And Joshua{H3091} sent{H7971} men{H582} from Jericho{H3405} to Ai{H5857}, which is beside{H5973} Bethaven{H1007}, on the east side{H6924} of Bethel{H1008}, and spake{H559} unto them, saying{H559}, Go up{H5927} and view{H7270} the country{H776}. And the men{H582} went up{H5927} and viewed{H7270} Ai{H5857}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Joshua 18:12
- And 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 Bethaven.
Hosea 4:15
- Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, [yet] let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.
1 Samuel 13:5
- And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which [is] on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.
1 Samuel 14:23
- So the LORD saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over unto Bethaven.
Genesis 12:8
- And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, [having] Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.
Proverbs 24:6
- For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors [there is] safety.
Proverbs 20:18
- ¶ [Every] purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Joshua 7:2
Joshua 7:2 is set in the context of the Israelite conquest of Canaan, following the miraculous fall of Jericho. After the initial victory, Joshua, the leader of the Israelites, sends a reconnaissance mission to the city of Ai, which is located near Bethaven (literally "house of iniquity") and east of Bethel, significant places in the Israelite history and religion. The verse reflects the strategic military planning of Joshua as he prepares to continue the campaign to possess the Promised Land as commanded by God.
The men sent by Joshua are tasked with scouting the land of Ai to gather intelligence, likely to assess the city's fortifications, the number of its defenders, and the best approach for an attack. This action is a common military tactic, emphasizing the importance of reconnaissance before engaging in battle. The verse captures a moment of preparation and anticipation, as the Israelites are poised to continue their campaign, unaware of the challenges they will soon face due to Achan's sin (as revealed in the subsequent narrative).
The themes present in this verse include obedience to God's commands, the practical aspects of military strategy in ancient warfare, and the early stages of a narrative that will reveal the consequences of disobedience and the importance of faithfulness to God's covenant. The historical context is rooted in the Israelites' transition from a nomadic life to settling in the land of Canaan, a process fraught with both divine promise and human fallibility. The verse sets the stage for the subsequent story, where the Israelites' defeat at Ai initially (Joshua 7:3-5) serves as a lesson on the holiness of God and the need for the people to remain ritually and morally pure before Him.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H3091
There are 199 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יְהוֹשׁוּעַ
Transliteration: Yᵉhôwshûwaʻ
Pronunciation: yeh-ho-shoo'-ah
Description: or יְהוֹשֻׁעַ; from יְהֹוָה and יָשַׁע; Jehovah-saved; Jehoshua (i.e. Joshua), the Jewish leader; Jehoshua, Jehoshuah, Joshua. Compare הוֹשֵׁעַ, יֵשׁוּעַ. - Strong's Number: H7971
There are 790 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁלַח
Transliteration: shâlach
Pronunciation: shaw-lakh'
Description: a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications); [idiom] any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, [idiom] earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread, stretch forth (out). - Strong's Number: H582
There are 648 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֱנוֹשׁ
Transliteration: ʼĕnôwsh
Pronunciation: en-oshe'
Description: from אָנַשׁ; properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the more dignified אָדָם); hence,; a man in general (singly or collectively); another, [idiom] (blood-) thirsty, certain, chap(-man); divers, fellow, [idiom] in the flower of their age, husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some ([idiom] of them), [phrase] stranger, those, [phrase] their trade. It is often unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in apposition with another word. Compare אִישׁ. - Strong's Number: H3405
There are 53 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יְרִיחוֹ
Transliteration: Yᵉrîychôw
Pronunciation: yer-ee-kho'
Description: or יְרֵחוֹ; or variation (1 Kings 16:34) יְרִיחֹה; perhaps from יָרֵחַ; its month; or else from רוּחַ; fragrant; Jericho or Jerecho, a place in Palestine; Jericho. - Strong's Number: H5857
There are 34 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עַי
Transliteration: ʻAy
Pronunciation: ah'ee
Description: or (feminine) עַיָּא; (Nehemiah 11:31), or עַיָּת; (Isaiah 10:28), for עִי; Ai, Aja or Ajath, a place in Palestine; Ai, Aija, Aijath, Hai. - Strong's Number: H5973
There are 26 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עִם
Transliteration: ʻim
Pronunciation: eem
Description: from עָמַם; adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then usually unrepresented in English); accompanying, against, and, as ([idiom] long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from (among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-) to, with(-al). - Strong's Number: H1007
There are 7 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֵּית אָוֶן
Transliteration: Bêyth ʼÂven
Pronunciation: bayth aw'-ven
Description: from בַּיִת and אָוֶן; house of vanity; Beth-Aven, a place in Palestine; Beth-aven. - Strong's Number: H6924
There are 83 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: קֶדֶם
Transliteration: qedem
Pronunciation: keh'-dem
Description: or קֵדְמָה; from קָדַם; the front, of place (absolutely, the fore part, relatively the East) or time (antiquity); often used adverbially (before, anciently, eastward); aforetime, ancient (time), before, east (end, part, side, -ward), eternal, [idiom] ever(-lasting), forward, old, past. Compare קִדְמָה. - Strong's Number: H1008
There are 63 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֵּית־אֵל
Transliteration: Bêyth-ʼÊl
Pronunciation: bayth-ale'
Description: from בַּיִת and אֵל; house of God; Beth-El, a place in Palestine; Beth-el. - Strong's Number: H559
There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָמַר
Transliteration: ʼâmar
Pronunciation: aw-mar'
Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. - Strong's Number: H5927
There are 817 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עָלָה
Transliteration: ʻâlâh
Pronunciation: aw-law'
Description: a primitive root; to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative; arise (up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, [phrase] shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make to) go (away, up); grow (over) increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light, (make) up, [idiom] mention, mount up, offer, make to pay, [phrase] perfect, prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise (up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), (begin to) spring (up), stir up, take away (up), work. - Strong's Number: H7270
There are 24 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רָגַל
Transliteration: râgal
Pronunciation: raw-gal'
Description: a primitive root; also as denominative from רֶגֶל; to walk along; but only in specifically, applications, to reconnoiter, to be atale-bearer (i.e. slander); to lead about; backbite, search, slander, (e-) spy (out), teach to go, view. - Strong's Number: H776
There are 2739 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֶרֶץ
Transliteration: ʼerets
Pronunciation: eh'-rets
Description: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land); [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.