Joshua 8 3

Joshua 8:3 kjv

So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valor, and sent them away by night.

Joshua 8:3 nkjv

So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai; and Joshua chose thirty thousand mighty men of valor and sent them away by night.

Joshua 8:3 niv

So Joshua and the whole army moved out to attack Ai. He chose thirty thousand of his best fighting men and sent them out at night

Joshua 8:3 esv

So Joshua and all the fighting men arose to go up to Ai. And Joshua chose 30,000 mighty men of valor and sent them out by night.

Joshua 8:3 nlt

So Joshua and all the fighting men set out to attack Ai. Joshua chose 30,000 of his best warriors and sent them out at night

Joshua 8 verses

Joshua 8 3 Meaning

Joshua 8:3 details the precise beginning of Israel's second campaign against Ai, executed in direct obedience to God's renewed instructions. It describes Joshua's immediate action to mobilize the entire fighting force and specifically highlights his careful selection of thirty thousand elite warriors, deploying them under the cover of night to establish the ambush that formed the core of the divinely ordained strategy. This verse signifies a shift from previous defeat and reliance on presumption to a meticulous, God-guided execution of military strategy, leveraging skilled personnel and strategic stealth.

Joshua 8 3 Context

Joshua 8:3 immediately follows God's renewed command and promise of victory over Ai, detailed in Joshua 8:1-2. This promise came after the previous disastrous defeat at Ai in Chapter 7, which was a consequence of Achan's sin and Israel's subsequent purification. The prior defeat had caused significant discouragement and broken Israel's confidence. This verse, therefore, represents the immediate, obedient, and strategic response of Joshua to God's precise instructions for the second assault. The detailed plan outlined by God involved an ambush, and verse 3 marks the initial deployment of the forces designated for that crucial maneuver. The shift from presumptuous frontal attack to a carefully planned, divinely directed deception highlights a renewed focus on obeying God's specific commands, restoring both Israel's tactical superiority and their favor with God.

Joshua 8 3 Word analysis

• So (וַיָּקֻם, vayyakum): Literally "and he rose up" or "and he stood up." This connective implies immediate action and prompt obedience. It signifies Joshua's resolve and quick implementation of God's direct command from the preceding verses, marking the active beginning of the revised strategy.
• Joshua (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, Yehoshua): The Hebrew name means "The Lord is salvation" or "The Lord saves." As Moses' successor, Joshua embodies God's chosen leadership. In this verse, he acts as a disciplined military commander, executing God's intricate strategy rather than relying on his own flawed assumptions, underscoring the shift to divine wisdom.
• and all the fighting men (כָּל-הָעָם הַמִּלְחָמָה, kol-ha'am hammilchama): This phrase indicates the collective readiness and engagement of the entire armed population of Israel. It emphasizes that this was a unified military effort, signifying a more serious and comprehensive approach compared to the limited, overconfident force sent initially in Chapter 7.
• set out (לַעֲלוֹת, la'alot): Meaning "to go up" or "to ascend." Implies an advance or movement towards the target, indicating a purposeful progression.
• to march against Ai (אֶל-הָעָי, el-ha'ai): "Ai" means "the ruin" or "the heap of ruins," a name often associated with its eventual destruction. The targeting of Ai specifically is symbolic, representing the recovery of lost ground and the eradication of past failures through obedience to God.
• He chose (וַיִּבְחַר, vayyivchar): "And he chose/selected." This signifies a deliberate, discerning process by Joshua. It highlights an act of leadership involving careful consideration and specific appointment of individuals for a crucial task, emphasizing quality over mere quantity for this specialized mission.
• thirty thousand (שְׁלֹשִׁים אֶלֶף, shloshim elef): A significant numerical force. This specific, substantial figure indicates the large scale of the military maneuver, contrasting sharply with the few men sent previously (Jos 7:4-5) and signaling the seriousness and scope of the divine strategy for the ambush.
• of his best fighting men (אִישׁ הַגִּבֹּורִים, 'ish hagibborim): Literally "men of the heroes/mighty ones." This refers to elite, experienced, courageous, and strong warriors, Israel's most formidable soldiers. Their selection was crucial for the precise execution and success of a demanding covert operation like the ambush.
• and sent them out (וַיְשַׁלְּחֵם, vay'shall'chem): "And he sent them." Denotes delegation and tactical deployment under Joshua's command, positioning them for the specific role they were to play in the larger strategy.
• at night (לָיְלָה, laylah): This timing is critical for establishing the ambush unseen. Night operations facilitated secrecy and surprise, essential for effective deception in ancient warfare, allowing the ambush force to conceal themselves unnoticed by the inhabitants of Ai until the opportune moment.

• "So Joshua and all the fighting men set out to march against Ai": This phrase underlines the renewed, full-scale commitment of Israel under Joshua's leadership. "All the fighting men" signifies communal participation and unified purpose, unlike the previous presumptuous attempt. The act of "setting out" denotes a decisive, immediate, and determined movement following God's command, embodying obedience and a corrected approach after past failures.
• "He chose thirty thousand of his best fighting men and sent them out at night": This specifies the initial, most critical tactical deployment of the campaign against Ai. The "choice" signifies quality and purpose, indicating these were not just any soldiers, but skilled elites for a strategic and demanding task (the ambush). The precise number highlights the scale and strategic importance, while dispatching them "at night" was vital for stealth and achieving surprise. This entire phase demonstrates careful planning and execution of a complex, God-given military strategy.

Joshua 8 3 Bonus section

The seemingly large number of 30,000 "best fighting men" for the ambush in this verse, contrasted with the 5,000 men mentioned later in Joshua 8:12 as also being "set to lie in ambush," has been a point of scholarly discussion. Some propose that the 30,000 constitutes the entire primary striking force designated for the strategic operation, from which the smaller 5,000 group was a more specific, elite advance unit or a second contingent placed elsewhere. Alternatively, 30,000 could be a round, hyperbolic number representing a substantial force, with the actual ambush team being smaller but drawn from this large, capable body. Regardless, the intent of the text is to convey that a significant, elite portion of Israel's military strength was deployed in a covert and calculated manner under divine instruction. This emphasizes that while God promised victory, He also directed a militarily sound strategy requiring the full participation and specialized skills of Israel's forces.

Joshua 8 3 Commentary

Joshua 8:3 is a pivotal verse, marking the disciplined and strategic implementation of God's renewed instructions for the capture of Ai. Unlike the presumptuous and ill-fated prior attempt, this phase begins with Joshua’s immediate obedience and meticulous planning. The selection of thirty thousand of Israel’s "best fighting men" (elite warriors) for a covert, nighttime deployment emphasizes the deliberate and precise nature of the divinely guided strategy—specifically, the establishment of the ambush. This particular detail showcases a significant tactical move: using Israel's finest for a clandestine operation under the cloak of darkness. It underscores that God's victory for Israel was not passive but involved careful, strategic human action, demonstrating Joshua's faithful leadership and Israel's commitment to following divine direction down to the operational specifics, learning from past failures and acting with disciplined faith.