Joshua 7:5

Jos 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.

Ver. 5. And the men of Ai smote of them.] Not in fight, but in flight; for they stood not out the first shock.

“ A cane non magno saepe tenetur aper. ”

Even unto Shebarim,] i.e., A place of breakings or shiverings: this made them "sick at heart," according to Amo 6:6. {See Trapp on "Amo 6:6"}

Wherefore the hearts of the people melted.] They were not more discomfited than discouraged: because they saw that God was displeased, and for the time departed. A little water in a leaden vessel is very heavy: so is a small affliction from an offended Father. "Be not thou a terror to me," saith Jeremiah, {Jer 17:17} and then I care not greatly what befalleth me.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jos 7:5. The men of Ai smote thirty-six men — A dear-bought victory to them, whereby Israel was awakened and reformed, and they hardened to their own ruin. They smote them in the going down — That is, till they came to the plains of Jericho, Ai standing upon a hill. The hearts of the people melted, and became as water — Soft and weak, and full of fluctuation and trembling. They were undoubtedly struck with this panic from God; for otherwise there was no sufficient reason for it.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7:5 Ai’s defenders left through the town gate and attacked Israel’s troops directly (see 8:5). • as far as the quarries: An otherwise unknown place.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

God would by this overthrow make them more earnest to search out and punish the sin committed.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim--that is, unto the "breakings" or "fissures" at the opening of the passes.

and smote them in the going down--that is, the declivity or slope of the deep, rugged, adjoining wady.

wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water--It is evident that the troops engaged were a tumultuary, undisciplined band, no better skilled in military affairs than the Bedouin Arabs, who become disheartened and flee on the loss of ten or fifteen men. But the consternation of the Israelites arose from another cause--the evident displeasure of God, who withheld that aid on which they had confidently reckoned.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 5. They chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim] They seem to have presumed that the men of Ai would have immediately opened their gates to them, and therefore they marched up with confidence; but the enemy appearing, they were put to flight, their ranks utterly broken, and thirty-six of them killed. שברים Shebarim signifies breaches or broken places, and may here apply to the ranks of the Israelites, which were broken by the men of Ai; for the people were totally routed, though there were but few slain. They were panic-struck, and fled in the utmost confusion.

The hearts of the people melted] They were utterly discouraged; and by this gave an ample proof that without the supernatural assistance of God they could never have conquered the land.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(5) Shebarim—i.e., the crevices, or ravines. A short distance below Ai the road passes the head of steep glens, which open into the plain of Jordan.

In the going down—i.e., until they escaped into these ravines.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

5. unto Shebarim] So called, perhaps, from the mines, or stone quarries, which lay in the neighbourhood. The LXX. translates “till they had crushed or annihilated them.”

in the going down] Or, as in the margin, in Morad. If we retain the translation in the text, “the going down” would point to a spot, about a mile distant, “where the wâdies, descending from Ai, take their final plunge eastwards.”

the hearts of the people melted] Comp. Deu_1:28; Jos_2:11. “And the herte of the puple myche dredde, and at the lickenesse of water is molten,” Wyclif.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men,.... In the pursuit of them, which were but few, but a sufficient rebuke of Providence; their loss was but small, but their shame and disgrace great:

for they chased them from before the gate; the gate of the city of Ai:

even unto Shebarim; not that there was a place of this name before, but it was so called from hence, because there they were broken, as Kimchi observes; and the Targum and Jarchi render it,"until they were broken,''their lines broken, not being able to retreat in order, but were scattered, and fled to their camp as they could: Gussetius (q) thinks it was the; name of a place, but not so called for the above reason, but because there lay broken pieces of the rock scattered about:

and smote them in the going down; the hill from Ai; "Morad", rendered "going down", may taken for the proper name of a place, and which, Kimchi says, was a place before Ai, in which there was a declivity and descent, and in that place they smote them when they fled:

wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water; that is, the whole body of the people, when this little army returned defeated, their spirits failed them, their courage was lost, their nerves were loosed, and they became languid, faint, and feeble; not that their loss was so great, but that they perceived God had forsaken them, and what the issue of this would be they dreaded.

(q) Comment. Ebr. p. 825.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Shebarim - Rather, perhaps, “the stone quarries.” The smallness of the slaughter among the Israelites indicates that they fled early, probably without real conflict in battle.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Sabarim, which means people "broken and defeated." Septuagint, "they pursued them from the gate, till they had entirely broken them," destroying 36, and putting the rest to flight. (Calmet) --- This small disaster filled the whole camp with dismay, as the Lord generally caused the victories of his people to be complete, and without any loss, as long as they continued in his favour. None were found wanting of those who attacked and destroyed so many of the Madianites, Numbers xxxi. 49. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

About thirty and six men; a dear victory to them, whereby Israel was awakened, and reformed, and reconciled to their God and Shield, and they hardened to their own ruin.

In the going down; by which it seems it was a downhill way to Jericho, which was nearer Jordan.

As water, soft and weak, and full of fluctuation and trembling.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

5. About thirty and six men — The disaster, though shameful, was much lighter than might have been expected to attend such a rout.

Even unto Shebarim — That is, the stone quarries or ruins, the situation of which cannot be determined. Captain Wilson suggests that it may be identical with some extensive ruins northeast of Bethel, called Deir Sheba.

In the going down — Or, the declivity. Hebrews, Morad. Perhaps the descent into the wady, (note, Jos_7:2,) which is hemmed in on both sides with precipitous cliffs, is meant. Both the ruins (shebarim) and the declivity (morad) were evidently well known places in the time of the writer of this book but not of sufficient importance to survive in the memory of many generations.

The hearts of the people melted — This dismay was not on account of the magnitude of the disaster to the arms of Israel, but because it betokened the withdrawal of their Great Ally, Jehovah. Well may a nation tremble when it sees itself forsaken of God!

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Unto Shebarim. LXX, kai ewv sunetriqan autouv , as though we had (or, as Masius suggests, from rbv to break in pieces. So the Syriac and Chaldee versions. But this is quite out of the question. The Israelites were not annihilated, for they only lost about 36 men. Nor is Shebarim a proper name, as the Vulgate renders it. It has the article, and must be rendered either with Keil, the stone quarries (literally, the crushings or breakings), or with Gesenius, the ruins, which, however, is less probable, since Ai (see above)has a similar signification. Munsterus mentions a view that it was so called in consequence of the slaughter of the Israelites. But this is very improbable. In the going down. Ai stood in a strong position on the mountains. The margin "in Morad "is therefore not to be preferred. It means, as the Israelites and their antagonists descended from the gates. The hearts of the people melted and became as water. This was not cowardice, but awe. The people had relied upon the strong hand of the Lord, which had been so wonderfully stretched out for them. From Joshua downwards, every one felt that, for some unknown reason, that support had been withdrawn.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

About thirty and six men - A dear victory to them, whereby Israel was awakened and reformed, and they hardened to their own ruin. The going down - By which it seems it was a down-hill way to Jericho, which was nearer Jordan. As water - Soft and weak, and full of fluctuation and trembling.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Until Shevarim, until they were broken.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.