Bible/Joshua/7

Joshua 7:4

7:3 And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few. about: Heb. about two thousand men, or, about three thousand men
So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai.

KJV

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So about three thousand men of the people went up there, and they fled before the men of Ai.

So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai.

So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai.

7:5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water. in: or, in Morad

What does Joshua 7:4 mean?

Joshua 7:4 is a verse in the book of Joshua, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include עָלָה (ʻâlâh), עַם (ʻam), שָׁלוֹשׁ (shâlôwsh). It connects to 14 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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So
there
went
upעָלָהʻâlâh/aw-law'/H5927to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative
thither
of
the
peopleעַםʻam/am/H5971a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
about
threeשָׁלוֹשׁshâlôwsh/shaw-loshe'/H7969three; occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multiple) thrice
thousandאֶלֶףʼeleph/eh'-lef/H505hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand
men:אִישׁʼîysh/eesh/H376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
and
they
fledנוּסnûwç/noos/H5127to flit, i.e. vanish away (subside, escape; causatively, chase, impel, deliver)
beforeפָּנִיםpânîym/paw-neem'/H6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
the
menאֱנוֹשׁʼĕnôwsh/en-oshe'/H582a man in general (singly or collectively)
of
Ai.עַיʻAy/ah'ee/H5857Ai, Aja or Ajath, a place in Palestine

Commentary on Joshua 7:4

HENRY_FULL · Joshua 7:4
h the children of Israel; he seemed to have taken final leave of them in the close of the foregoing chapter, but still he has something more to say. He had preached them a farewell sermon, a very copious and pathetic discourse. After sermon he had given out a psalm, a long psalm; and now nothing remains but to dismiss them with a blessing; that blessing he pronounces in this chapter in the name of the Lord, and so leaves them. I. He pronounces them all blessed in what God had done for them already, especially in giving them his law, ver. 2-5 . II. He pronounces a blessing upon each tribe, which is both a prayer for and a prophecy of their felicity. 1. Reuben, ver. 6 . 2. Judah, ver. 7 . 3. Levi, ver. 8-11 . 4. Benjamin, ver. 42 . 5. Joseph, ver. 13-17 . 6. Zebulun and Issachar, ver. 18, 19 . 7. Gad, ver. 20, 21 . 8. Dan, ver. 22 . 9. Naphtali, ver. 23 . 10. Asher, ver. 24, 25 . III. He pronounces them all in general blessed upon the account of what God would be to them, and do for them if they were obedient, ver. 26 , &c. Moses's Blessing on Israel. ( b. c. 1451.)

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Exodus 19:18

And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.

Judges 5:4

LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.

Judges 5:5

The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel. melted: Heb. flowed

Daniel 7:9

I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

Habakkuk 3:3

God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. Teman: or, the south

2 Corinthians 3:7

But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:

2 Corinthians 3:9

For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

Galatians 3:10

For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

Galatians 3:19

Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

2 Thessalonians 1:7

And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, his: Gr. the angels of his power

Hebrews 2:2

For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;

Hebrews 12:20

(For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:

Jude 1:14

And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

Revelation 5:11

And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;

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Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Joshua 7:4.

Genesis 18:16

And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.

Genesis 18:2

And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

Genesis 18:22

And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.

Genesis 19:4

But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:

Genesis 19:8

Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.

Genesis 2:6

But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. there: or, a mist which went up from, etc.

Genesis 24:16

And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up. very: Heb. good of countenance

Genesis 24:32

And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men's feet that were with him.

Frequently asked questions

What does Joshua 7:4 say?

Joshua 7:4 (King James Version) reads: "So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai."

Is Joshua 7:4 in the Old or New Testament?

Joshua 7:4 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Joshua.

Reflect

As you read Joshua 7:4, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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