He 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. He hung the king of Ai on a tree until eveningThe act of hanging the king of Ai on a tree is a significant moment in the narrative of Israel's conquest of Canaan. In the Hebrew context, the word for "tree" (עֵץ, 'ets) can also mean "wood" or "gallows," indicating a form of execution that was both a punishment and a public display of shame. This act fulfilled the command in Deuteronomy 21:22-23, which states that a hanged man is cursed by God. The hanging until evening signifies the completion of justice, as the law required that the body not remain overnight, emphasizing the importance of following God's commandments even in judgment. and at sunset Joshua commanded that they take his body down from the tree
The removal of the body at sunset aligns with the Mosaic Law, which required that a hanged body be buried the same day to avoid defiling the land (Deuteronomy 21:23). This act of obedience by Joshua underscores his commitment to the law and the holiness of the land God had given to Israel. It reflects a deep respect for God's instructions and the sanctity of the Promised Land, which was to remain undefiled by the presence of a cursed body. and throw it at the entrance of the city gate
The entrance of the city gate was a place of judgment and decision-making in ancient cities. By placing the king's body there, Joshua was making a public declaration of the defeat and judgment of Ai. This act served as a warning to other cities and a reminder to Israel of God's power and justice. The city gate, being a central and visible location, ensured that the message of God's victory and the consequences of opposing His will were clearly communicated. And they raised over it a large pile of stones
The raising of a large pile of stones over the king's body was a common practice in ancient times to mark significant events or burials. In the context of Israel's history, such stone heaps served as memorials to God's acts and as reminders of His faithfulness and justice. This pile of stones would have been a lasting testament to the victory God granted Israel and a physical reminder of the consequences of defying Him. which remains to this day
The phrase "which remains to this day" indicates that the memorial was still present at the time the text was written, serving as a historical witness to the events that transpired. This enduring presence of the stone heap highlights the lasting impact of God's actions and the importance of remembering His deeds. It serves as a call to future generations to acknowledge God's sovereignty and to live in obedience to His commands, recognizing the enduring nature of His covenant with Israel. Persons / Places / Events 1. JoshuaThe leader of Israel, successor to Moses, who led the Israelites into the Promised Land and orchestrated the conquest of Ai. 2. King of AiThe ruler of the city of Ai, who opposed Israel and was defeated and executed as a symbol of God's judgment. 3. AiA Canaanite city that was conquered by the Israelites under Joshua's leadership. 4. The TreeA place of execution, symbolizing a curse according to Deuteronomy 21:22-23. 5. Heap of StonesA memorial of the victory and judgment, serving as a lasting reminder of God's deliverance and justice. Teaching Points Obedience to God's CommandsJoshua's actions reflect strict adherence to God's law, demonstrating the importance of obedience in leadership and life. Symbolism of JudgmentThe hanging and subsequent burial under stones symbolize God's judgment against sin and rebellion. Memorials of God's WorkThe heap of stones serves as a physical reminder of God's deliverance and justice, encouraging us to remember and recount God's faithfulness. The Curse and RedemptionThe act of hanging on a tree foreshadows Christ's crucifixion, where He bore the curse for us, highlighting the depth of God's redemptive plan. Leadership and AccountabilityJoshua's leadership exemplifies accountability to God's standards, reminding us of the responsibility leaders have to uphold God's righteousness. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Joshua's treatment of the king of Ai reflect obedience to God's law as outlined in Deuteronomy 21:22-23? 2. In what ways does the heap of stones serve as a memorial, and how can we create similar reminders of God's work in our lives today? 3. How does the execution of the king of Ai illustrate the seriousness of sin and God's judgment? 4. What parallels can we draw between the curse of hanging on a tree and Christ's crucifixion, as mentioned in Galatians 3:13? 5. How can Joshua's leadership and adherence to God's commands inspire us in our roles and responsibilities today? Connections to Other Scriptures Deuteronomy 21:22-23This passage provides the law regarding the hanging of a body on a tree, emphasizing that it should not remain overnight, which Joshua adhered to. Galatians 3:13Paul references the curse of hanging on a tree, connecting it to Christ's redemptive work on the cross. Joshua 7:26The heap of stones over Achan's body parallels the heap over the king of Ai, both serving as reminders of God's judgment. People Israelites, Joshua, LevitesPlaces Ai, Arabah, Bethel, Jericho, Mount Ebal, Mount GerizimTopics Ai, Body, Carcase, Carcass, Cast, Command, Commanded, Covering, Death, Entering, Entrance, Evening, Eventide, Even-time, Gate, Hanged, Hanging, Heap, Joshua, Large, Mass, Opening, Ordered, Orders, Pile, Public, Raise, Raised, Remains, Rocks, Stands, Stones, Sundown, Sunset, Thereon, Threw, Throw, Till, Town, TreeDictionary of Bible Themes Joshua 8:29 4354 rock
4933 evening
5241 burial
5322 gallows
5323 gate
5331 hanging
5485 punishment, legal aspects Joshua 8:24-29 5508 ruins Library The National Oath at Shechem
'And Joshua said unto the people. Ye cannot serve the Lord: for He is an holy God; He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. 20. If ye forsake the Lord, and serve strange gods, then He will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that He hath done you good. 21. And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the Lord. 22. And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves, that ye have chosen you the Lord, to serve Him. And they said, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureFebruary the Seventeenth Blessings and Cursings
"He read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings." --JOSHUA viii. 30-35. We are inclined to read only what pleases us, to hug the blessings and to ignore the warnings. We bask in the light, we close our eyes to the lightning. We recount the promises, we shut our ears to the rebukes. We love the passages which speak of our Master's gentleness, we turn away from those which reveal His severity. And all this is unwise, and therefore unhealthy. We become spiritually soft and anaemic. …
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year Whether it is Lawful to Lay Ambushes in War?
Objection 1: It would seem that it is unlawful to lay ambushes in war. For it is written (Dt. 16:20): "Thou shalt follow justly after that which is just." But ambushes, since they are a kind of deception, seem to pertain to injustice. Therefore it is unlawful to lay ambushes even in a just war. Objection 2: Further, ambushes and deception seem to be opposed to faithfulness even as lies are. But since we are bound to keep faith with all men, it is wrong to lie to anyone, as Augustine states (Contra …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica Formation and History of the Hebrew Canon.
1. The Greek word canon (originally a straight rod or pole, measuring-rod, then rule) denotes that collection of books which the churches receive as given by inspiration of God, and therefore as constituting for them a divine rule of faith and practice. To the books included in it the term canonical is applied. The Canon of the Old Testament, considered in reference to its constituent parts, was formed gradually; formed under divine superintendence by a process of growth extending through …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible Five Kings in a Cave
TEXT: "And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them. And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye fight."--Joshua 10:24-25. The history of the …
J. Wilbur Chapman—And Judas Iscariot Jesus in the Tomb.
It was about three o'clock in the afternoon, according to our manner of reckoning,[1] when Jesus expired. A Jewish law[2] forbade a corpse suspended on the cross to be left beyond the evening of the day of the execution. It is not probable that in the executions performed by the Romans this rule was observed; but as the next day was the Sabbath, and a Sabbath of peculiar solemnity, the Jews expressed to the Roman authorities[3] their desire that this holy day should not be profaned by such a spectacle.[4] …
Ernest Renan—The Life of Jesus Beth-El. Beth-Aven.
Josephus thus describes the land of Benjamin; "The Benjamites' portion of land was from the river Jordan to the sea, in length: in breadth, it was bounded by Jerusalem and Beth-el." Let these last words be marked, "The breadth of the land of Benjamin was bounded by Jerusalem and Beth-el." May we not justly conclude, from these words, that Jerusalem and Beth-el were opposite, as it were, in a right line? But if you look upon the maps, there are some that separate these by a very large tract of land, …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica Moses and his Writings
[Illustration: (drop cap W) Clay letter tablet of Moses' time.] We now begin to understand a little of the very beginning of God's Book--of the times in which it was written, the materials used by its first author, and the different kinds of writing from which he had to choose; but we must go a step farther. How much did Moses know about the history of his forefathers, Abraham and Jacob, and of all the old nations and kings mentioned in Genesis, before God called him to the great work of writing …
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making The Crucifixion.
Subdivision D. Jesus Found to Be Dead. His Body Buried and Guarded in the Tomb. ^A Matt. XXVII. 57-66; ^B Mark XV. 42-47; ^C Luke XXIII. 50-56; ^D John XIX. 31-42. ^d 31 The Jews therefore, because it was the Preparation, that the bodies should not remain on the cross upon the sabbath (for the day of that sabbath was a high day ), asked of Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. [According to rabbinical writing a few hours before the Sabbath were called the Preparation; …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel Joshua
The book of Joshua is the natural complement of the Pentateuch. Moses is dead, but the people are on the verge of the promised land, and the story of early Israel would be incomplete, did it not record the conquest of that land and her establishment upon it. The divine purpose moves restlessly on, until it is accomplished; so "after the death of Moses, Jehovah spake to Joshua," i. 1. The book falls naturally into three divisions: (a) the conquest of Canaan (i.-xii.), (b) the settlement of the …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Joshua 8:29 NIVJoshua 8:29 NLTJoshua 8:29 ESVJoshua 8:29 NASBJoshua 8:29 KJV
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