Focused Passage

Joshua 8:24-29

Ai Defeated and the Covenant Renewed at Mount Ebal

After sin is judged, the LORD restores Israel to mission, gives Ai into Joshua’s hand, and leads the nation from military victory to covenant renewal under the written Law.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

24When Israel had finished killing all the men of Ai who had pursued them into the field and wilderness, and when every last one of them had fallen by the sword, all the Israelites returned to Ai and put it to the sword as well.

25A total of twelve thousand men and women fell that day—all the people of Ai.

26Joshua did not draw back the hand that held his battle lance until he had devoted to destruction all who lived in Ai.

27Israel took for themselves only the cattle and plunder of that city, as the LORD had commanded Joshua.

28So Joshua burned Ai and made it a permanent heap of ruins, a desolation to this day.

29He hung the king of Ai on a tree until evening, and at sunset Joshua commanded that they take down the body from the tree and throw it down at the entrance of the city gate. And over it they raised a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 24

Original words

-וַיְהִ֣יH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularWhen Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֡לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularhad finishedכְּכַלּ֣וֹתH3615Preposition-k | Verb - Piel - Infinitive constructkillingלַהֲרֹג֩H2026Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct-אֶת־H853Direct object markerallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe menיֹשְׁבֵ֨יH3427Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructof Aiהָעַ֜יH5857Article | Noun - proper - feminine singularwho had pursuedרְדָפ֣וּםH7291Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural | third person masculine pluralthemבּ֔וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularinto the fieldבַּשָּׂדֶ֗הH7704Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularand wildernessבַּמִּדְבָּר֙H4057Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativeand when everyכֻלָּ֛םH3605Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plurallast one of them had fallenוַֽיִּפְּל֥וּH5307Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralvvvלְפִי־H6310Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructby the swordחֶ֖רֶבH2719Noun - feminine singular. . .עַד־H5704Preposition. . .תֻּמָּ֑םH8552Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine pluralallכָל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe Israelitesיִשְׂרָאֵל֙H3478Noun - proper - masculine singularreturnedוַיָּשֻׁ֤בוּH7725Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralto Aiהָעַ֔יH5857Article | Noun - proper - feminine singularand putוַיַּכּ֥וּH5221Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralitאֹתָ֖הּH853Direct object marker | third person feminine singularvvvלְפִי־H6310Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructto the sword [as well]חָֽרֶב׃H2719Noun - feminine singular
Verse 25

Original words

-וַיְהִי֩H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularA totalכָל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructof twelveשְׁנֵ֥יםH8147Number - md. . .עָשָׂ֖רH6240Number - masculine singularthousandאָ֑לֶףH505Number - masculine singularmenמֵאִ֣ישׁH376Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singularandוְעַד־H5704Conjunctive waw | Prepositionwomenאִשָּׁ֔הH802Noun - feminine singularfellהַנֹּ֨פְלִ֜יםH5307Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralthatהַהוּא֙H1931Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singulardayבַּיּ֤וֹםH3117Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularallכֹּ֖לH3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe peopleאַנְשֵׁ֥יH582Noun - masculine plural constructof Aiהָעָֽי׃H5857Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Verse 26

Original words

Joshuaוִיהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙H3091Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singulardid notלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particledraw backהֵשִׁ֣יבH7725Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singularthe handיָד֔וֹH3027Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularthatאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativeheldנָטָ֖הH5186Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularhis battle lanceבַּכִּיד֑וֹןH3591Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularuntilעַ֚דH5704Preposition-אֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativehe had devoted to destructionהֶחֱרִ֔יםH2763Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singularallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructwho livedיֹשְׁבֵ֥יH3427Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructin Aiהָעָֽי׃H5857Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular-אֵ֖תH853Direct object marker

BSB notes

  • Forms of the Hebrew cherem refer to the giving over of things or persons to the LORD, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering.
Verse 27

Original words

Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singulartookבָּזְז֥וּH962Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralfor themselvesלָהֶ֖םPreposition-l | Pronoun - third person masculine pluralonlyרַ֣קH7535Adverbthe cattleהַבְּהֵמָ֗הH929Article | Noun - feminine singularand plunderוּשְׁלַל֙H7998Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructof thatהַהִ֔יאH1931Article | Pronoun - third person feminine singularcityהָעִ֣ירH5892Article | Noun - feminine singularas the LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularvvvכִּדְבַ֣רH1697Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular constructvvvאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativehad commandedצִוָּ֖הH6680Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerJoshuaיְהוֹשֻֽׁעַ׃H3091Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 28

Original words

So Joshuaיְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַH3091Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerburnedוַיִּשְׂרֹ֥ףH8313Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularAiהָעָ֑יH5857Article | Noun - proper - feminine singularand made itוַיְשִׂימֶ֤הָH7760Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singulara permanentעוֹלָם֙H5769Noun - masculine singularheap of ruinsתֵּל־H8510Noun - masculine singular constructa desolationשְׁמָמָ֔הH8077Noun - feminine singulartoעַ֖דH5704Prepositionthisהַזֶּֽה׃H2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singulardayהַיּ֥וֹםH3117Article | Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Ai means ruin.
Verse 29

Original words

-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerHe hungתָּלָ֥הH8518Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularthe kingמֶ֧לֶךְH4428Noun - masculine singular constructof Aiהָעַ֛יH5857Article | Noun - proper - feminine singularonעַל־H5921Prepositiona treeהָעֵ֖ץH6086Article | Noun - masculine singularuntilעַד־H5704Preposition. . .עֵ֣תH6256Noun - common singular constructeveningהָעָ֑רֶבH6153Article | Noun - masculine singularand at sunsetוּכְב֣וֹאH935Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct. . .הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ֩H8121Article | Noun - common singularJoshuaיְהוֹשֻׁ֜עַH3091Noun - proper - masculine singularcommandedצִוָּ֨הH6680Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singularthat they take down the bodyנִבְלָת֣וֹH5038Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular. . .וַיֹּרִ֧ידוּH3381Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerfromמִן־H4480Prepositionthe treeהָעֵ֗ץH6086Article | Noun - masculine singularand throw it downוַיַּשְׁלִ֤יכוּH7993Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural-אוֹתָהּ֙H853Direct object marker | third person feminine singularatאֶל־H413Prepositionthe entranceפֶּ֙תַח֙H6607Noun - masculine singular constructof the cityהָעִ֔ירH5892Article | Noun - feminine singulargateשַׁ֣עַרH8179Noun - masculine singular constructAnd over itעָלָיו֙H5921Preposition | third person masculine singularthey raisedוַיָּקִ֤ימוּH6965Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plurala largeגָּד֔וֹלH1419Adjective - masculine singularpileגַּל־H1530Noun - masculine singular constructof rocksאֲבָנִ֣יםH68Noun - feminine pluralwhich remains toעַ֖דH5704Prepositionthisהַזֶּֽה׃פH2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singulardayהַיּ֥וֹםH3117Article | Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Or He impaled the king of Ai on a pole

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.