Joshua 8:24 kjv
And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword.
Joshua 8:24 nkjv
And it came to pass when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness where they pursued them, and when they all had fallen by the edge of the sword until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned to Ai and struck it with the edge of the sword.
Joshua 8:24 niv
When Israel had finished killing all the men of Ai in the fields and in the wilderness where they had chased them, and when every one of them had been put to the sword, all the Israelites returned to Ai and killed those who were in it.
Joshua 8:24 esv
When Israel had finished killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the open wilderness where they pursued them, and all of them to the very last had fallen by the edge of the sword, all Israel returned to Ai and struck it down with the edge of the sword.
Joshua 8:24 nlt
When the Israelite army finished chasing and killing all the men of Ai in the open fields, they went back and finished off everyone inside.
Joshua 8 24 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 7:2 | "...and when the LORD your God gives them over to you, you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them and show no mercy to them." | Command for total destruction (herem). |
| Deut 20:16-18 | "But in the cities of these peoples... you shall save alive nothing that breathes, but you shall devote them to complete destruction..." | Explicit instruction for annihilating Canaanite nations. |
| Num 21:2-3 | "Then Israel made a vow... 'If you will give over this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.' And the LORD listened..." | Earlier example of total destruction against Canaanites. |
| Josh 10:28 | "On that day Joshua captured Makkedah and struck it with the edge of the sword..." | Similar language describing the capture and destruction of other Canaanite cities. |
| Josh 10:40 | "So Joshua struck all the land... he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, just as the LORD God of Israel had commanded." | Confirmation of total annihilation commanded by God for all captured cities. |
| Josh 11:11-12 | "And they put to the sword all who were in it, devoting them to destruction; there was none left that breathed..." | Reinforcement of comprehensive destruction in northern campaigns. |
| Lev 18:24-25, 28 | "Do not defile yourselves by any of these things... because of all these the nations whom I am driving out before you became unclean... so that the land will not vomit you out." | Explains the basis for Canaanite destruction: their moral corruption and abominations. |
| Gen 15:16 | "And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete." | God's patience with Canaan, but judgment awaited due to growing wickedness. |
| 1 Sam 15:3 | "Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them..." | Saul's later failure to fully obey the herem command. |
| Isa 34:2 | "For the LORD's indignation is against all the nations... he has devoted them to destruction..." | Prophetic example of God's universal judgment, echoing herem. |
| Ezek 7:9 | "...I will bring your conduct upon your own head, and your abominations will be among you. Then you will know that I am the LORD who strikes." | God's direct role in judgment for wickedness. |
| Nah 1:9 | "Whatever they plot against the LORD, he will make a complete end; oppression will not rise up a second time." | God makes a "complete end" of his enemies. |
| Zech 14:11 | "And no longer shall there be devoted destruction..." | Prophetic shift indicating a future time free from such commands. |
| Deut 9:4-5 | "Do not say in your heart... 'It is because of my righteousness that the LORD has brought me in to possess this land'... because of the wickedness of these nations..." | God clarifies the basis for dispossession is the Canaanites' sin, not Israel's merit. |
| Josh 7:1-5 | (Account of Achan's sin and Israel's initial defeat at Ai) | Immediate preceding context: emphasizes the importance of obedience for success in battle. |
| Rom 6:23 | "For the wages of sin is death..." | Spiritual principle aligning with the idea that unrepentant wickedness brings death. |
| Heb 12:29 | "for our God is a consuming fire." | God's holy character and destructive power against evil. |
| Rev 19:15 | "From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations..." | Jesus's future judgment, a divine "sword" striking nations. |
| Ps 9:15-16 | "The nations have sunk in the pit that they made... The LORD has made himself known; he has executed judgment..." | God's justice against the wicked is revealed through His judgments. |
| Judg 1:17 | "And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they struck the Canaanites... and devoted it to destruction." | Continued practice of herem by later generations in Israel. |
| Jer 5:9 | "Shall I not punish them for these things? declares the LORD, and shall I not avenge myself on a nation such as this?" | Divine justice and retribution against sinful nations. |
| 2 Sam 2:26 | "...For how long will you not tell the people to turn back from pursuing their brothers?" | Context of prolonged pursuit and engagement until command to stop is given. |
Joshua 8 verses
Joshua 8 24 Meaning
Joshua 8:24 describes the decisive and total destruction of the city of Ai and its inhabitants by the Israelites, acting under God's command. It emphasizes the completion of the military operation outside the city, where the inhabitants were pursued and annihilated "by the edge of the sword" until utterly "consumed." Following this extermination in the field, the Israelite army then returned to the deserted city of Ai to execute a similar destruction upon its physical structures. This dual-phase destruction highlights the comprehensive nature of God's judgment and Israel's obedience in fulfilling the herem (devoted destruction) command.
Joshua 8 24 Context
Joshua 8:24 concludes the military campaign against Ai, which served as a crucial demonstration of God's power and faithfulness, conditioned upon Israel's obedience. Following the humiliating defeat in Joshua 7 due to Achan's sin and subsequent atonement, the Israelites, led by Joshua, were given a new strategy for taking Ai (Josh 8:1-29). The plan involved an ambush and a feigned retreat, luring Ai's entire population out of the city into the wilderness. This verse details the final stage of that successful operation, where the men of Ai, including their king, were annihilated by the Israelite main force and the ambushing party. Historically, this event solidified Israel's conquest of central Canaan and underscored God's commitment to fulfilling His covenant promises through a disciplined, obedient people. It also demonstrated Yahweh's absolute authority and power over local gods or strongholds, effectively polemicizing against the notion that the deities of Canaan could protect their cities.
Joshua 8 24 Word analysis
- And it came to pass: Hebrew וַיְהִי (wa·ye·hi). A common introductory phrase in biblical narrative, signifying the unfolding of an event, often consequential, and signaling the progression of the story in divine providence.
- when Israel had finished slaying: Hebrew הָרֹג (ha·rog) from הָרַג (harag), meaning "to kill, slay, murder." The term "finished slaying" implies a completed action, suggesting the thoroughness of the extermination rather than a partial defeat. It indicates a systematic process until no one remained.
- all the inhabitants of Ai: Highlights the comprehensiveness of the judgment. No distinction is made between warrior or civilian, reflecting the total judgment under the herem command against cities devoted to destruction. This speaks to the depth of moral corruption requiring such a sweeping action.
- in the field, in the wilderness where they had pursued them: Details the location of the main battle and pursuit. The Israelites skillfully drew Ai's army away from their fortified city walls into open ground, creating a kill zone in the rugged wilderness terrain. This showcases military strategy and God's wisdom in it.
- and all of them had fallen by the edge of the sword: Hebrew בְּפִי־חֶרֶב (bepî-ḥerev), literally "by the mouth of the sword." This is an idiomatic expression signifying decisive and complete slaughter, where the weapon's "mouth" consumes or devours the victims. It emphasizes violent death by weapon.
- until they were consumed: Hebrew עַד־תֻּמָּם (ʿad-tumām), from תָּמַם (tamam), "to be complete, finished, to cease, be consumed, perish." It indicates absolute depletion or extinction. This is not just a defeat but an absolute ending, a wiping out of existence, highlighting the concept of herem.
- that all Israel returned to Ai: Shows the strategic return after securing victory over the inhabitants. The army then focused on the city itself, ensuring its complete devastation.
- and struck it with the edge of the sword: Reiterates the method of destruction, applying it now to the city's remaining elements (structures, possessions). This action would have included putting any remaining animals or treasures to the "sword" as part of the herem.
Words-group analysis
- Israel had finished slaying... until they were consumed: This phrase encapsulates the total, systematic nature of the divine judgment and the Israelite obedience. It speaks to a divinely ordained mission to utterly eradicate. It is a completion, not a cessation.
- all the inhabitants of Ai... all of them had fallen: The repetition of "all" underscores the totality. This was a universal judgment on the people of Ai, leaving no survivors. This detail highlights the extreme nature of the herem commandment.
- in the field, in the wilderness where they had pursued them: This describes the specific battle strategy's success, highlighting the effective execution of the plan God provided. The terrain becomes a literal "stage" for divine judgment.
- by the edge of the sword: This powerful idiom repeatedly emphasizes the instrument and manner of judgment—direct, brutal, and lethal military action. It points to human agency (Israel's military) acting as God's instrument.
Joshua 8 24 Bonus section
The destruction of Ai, particularly its complete obliteration as described in Josh 8:24, stands as a biblical instance of God's righteous judgment against nations steeped in practices considered anathema, serving as a powerful polemic against the strength and legitimacy of Canaanite deities. This was not a general command for Israel to destroy any foreign nation, but a specific, divinely ordained judgment against particular Canaanite groups whose depravity had reached a full measure. The thoroughness—from slaying every individual in the field to striking the city itself—underscores that the judgment was not haphazard but a divinely guided, total cleansing. This systematic elimination also served as a warning to Israel about the spiritual dangers of syncretism and idolatry. It provided a stark visual reminder of the consequences of covenant disobedience, which would later be invoked as reasons for Israel's own exile and judgments. The repeated phrase "edge of the sword" and "consumed" acts as a literary device to hammer home the finality and totality of the event, leaving no room for misunderstanding about the complete devastation.
Joshua 8 24 Commentary
Joshua 8:24 vividly details the fulfillment of the herem command against Ai, emphasizing the relentless and comprehensive nature of God's judgment against a people whose "iniquity was complete" (Gen 15:16). After luring all able-bodied residents out, the Israelites utterly annihilated them in the open terrain, using the sword until "consumed" or entirely wiped out. This demonstrates Israel's strict obedience, vital for their success after the earlier failure at Ai (due to Achan's sin). The description underscores not only military victory but also theological truth: Yahweh's holiness tolerates no profound wickedness, and His justice demands complete eradication of those who defiantly oppose Him and persist in grave evils such as idolatry and child sacrifice (Deut 7:2; Lev 18). The return to the city itself after dealing with its inhabitants implies a systematic completion of the herem, not merely a military conquest but a ritual cleansing or dedication of the land back to God, purifying it from pagan influence.
For example, this comprehensive destruction of Ai, in contrast to partial victories, teaches the importance of total obedience to God's commands, especially concerning the removal of sin and spiritual impurity from one's life or community. It also illustrates that God, while merciful, is also a God of justice who deals decisively with persistent wickedness.