Joshua 8:1
New International Version
Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land.

New Living Translation
Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take all your fighting men and attack Ai, for I have given you the king of Ai, his people, his town, and his land.

English Standard Version
And the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear and do not be dismayed. Take all the fighting men with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, his city, and his land.

Berean Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. See, I have delivered into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.

King James Bible
And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:

New King James Version
Now the LORD said to Joshua: “Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.

New American Standard Bible
Now the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear or be dismayed. Take all the people of war with you. Arise, go up to Ai; see, I have handed over to you the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.

NASB 1995
Now the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear or be dismayed. Take all the people of war with you and arise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.

NASB 1977
Now the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear or be dismayed. Take all the people of war with you and arise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now Yahweh said to Joshua, “Do not fear or be dismayed. Take all the people of war with you and arise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.

Amplified Bible
Now the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear or be dismayed (intimidated). Take all the men of war with you and set out, go up to Ai; see, I have given the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land into your hand.

Christian Standard Bible
The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take all the troops with you and go attack Ai. Look, I have handed over to you the king of Ai, his people, city, and land.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take the whole military force with you and go attack Ai. Look, I have handed over to you the king of Ai, his people, city, and land.

American Standard Version
And Jehovah said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And LORD JEHOVAH said to Yeshua: “You shall not fear and you shall not be moved. Take with you all the people and make war and arise, come up to Ai, because I have delivered into your hands the King of Ai and his people and his cities and his land

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the Lord said to Joshua, Fear not, nor be timorous: take with thee all the men of war, and arise, go up to Gai; behold, I have given into thy hands the king of Gai, and his land.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord said to Josue: Fear not, nor be thou dismayed: take with thee all the multitude of fighting men, arise and go up to the town of Hai. Behold I have delivered into thy hand the king thereof, and the people, and the city, and the land.

English Revised Version
And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city and his land:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The LORD said to Joshua, "Don't be terrified or afraid. Take all the troops with you, and march against Ai. I am about to hand the king of Ai, his people, city, and land over to you.

Good News Translation
The LORD said to Joshua, "Take all the soldiers with you and go on up to Ai. Don't be afraid or discouraged. I will give you victory over the king of Ai; his people, city, and land will be yours.

International Standard Version
The LORD then told Joshua, "Don't be afraid or lose heart! Take all the fighting men with you, and go up right now to Ai. Take note that I have handed over the king of Ai into your control, along with his people, his city, and his land.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And the LORD said unto Joshua: 'Fear not, neither be thou dismayed; take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land.

Literal Standard Version
And YHWH says to Joshua, “Do not fear, nor be frightened, take with you all the people of war, and rise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land,

Majority Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. See, I have delivered into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.

New American Bible
The LORD then said to Joshua: Do not be afraid or dismayed. Take all the army with you and prepare to attack Ai. I have delivered the king of Ai into your power, with his people, city, and land.

NET Bible
The LORD told Joshua, "Don't be afraid and don't panic! Take the whole army with you and march against Ai! See, I am handing over to you the king of Ai, along with his people, city, and land.

New Revised Standard Version
Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear or be dismayed; take all the fighting men with you, and go up now to Ai. See, I have handed over to you the king of Ai with his people, his city, and his land.

New Heart English Bible
The LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid, neither be dismayed. Take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai. Look, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, with his people, his city, and his land.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD said to Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:

World English Bible
Yahweh said to Joshua, “Don’t be afraid, and don’t be dismayed. Take all the warriors with you, and arise, go up to Ai. Behold, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, with his people, his city, and his land.

Young's Literal Translation
And Jehovah saith unto Joshua, 'Fear not, nor be affrighted, take with thee all the people of war, and rise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Conquest of Ai
1Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. See, I have delivered into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land. 2And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves. Set up an ambush behind the city.”…

Cross References
Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

Joshua 6:2
And the LORD said to Joshua, "Behold, I have delivered Jericho into your hand, along with its king and its mighty men of valor.

Joshua 10:7
So Joshua and his whole army, including all the mighty men of valor, came from Gilgal.

Joshua 10:8
The LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them, for I have delivered them into your hand. Not one of them shall stand against you."

Jeremiah 49:3
Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai has been destroyed; cry out, O daughters of Rabbah! Put on sackcloth and mourn; run back and forth within your walls, for Milcom will go into exile together with his priests and officials.


Treasury of Scripture

And the LORD said to Joshua, Fear not, neither be you dismayed: take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:

Fear not

Joshua 1:9
Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Joshua 7:6,7,9
And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads…

Deuteronomy 1:21
Behold, the LORD thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged.

Joshua 8:12
And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.

Joshua 8:25
And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai.

See, I have

Joshua 6:2
And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.

Psalm 44:3
For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.

Daniel 2:21,27,38
And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: …

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Joshua 8
1. God encourages Joshua
3. The plan whereby Ai was taken
29. The king thereof is hanged
30. Joshua builds an altar
32. writes the law on stones
33. and pronounces the blessings and curses














VIII.

(1) Fear not, neither be thou dismayed.--See Joshua 1:9; Joshua 10:25. In Joshua 1:9, "For the Lord thy God is with thee." These words indicate the return of Jehovah to the host of Israel, for the prosecution of the war.

Take all the people.--Not merely "two or three thousand," as before.

Ai.--In Hebrew, Ha-ai. Ai is intended for one syllable, not two as often sounded in English. It means "the heap" (of ruins apparently). In Joshua 8:28 we read that Joshua made it "an heap for ever" (Tel-olam in Hebrew). Thus its first and last names agree. It is remarked that whereas Palestine is full of "Tels" with other names appended to them (as Tell-es Sultan, and some ten others near Jericho alone), the place called et-Tel by Bethel has no other appendage. It is not the heap of anything, but simply the heap, to this day; and this fact, which is apparently without parallel, seems to fix the site of Ai at et-Tel. (See Note on Joshua 7:2.) . . .

Verse 1. - Fear not. Joshua was down cast at his former failure, and well he might. "Treacherous Israelites are to be dreaded more than malicious Canaanites" (Matthew Henry). Take all the people of wax with thee. Not, as has been before stated, because 3,000 men were too few to take the city, for the capture of Jericho was a far greater marvel than that of Ai with this number of men. The true reason is indicated by Calvin, and is indeed suggested by the words "Fear not, neither be thou dismayed." It was to reassure the people, whose hearts had "melted and become as water." Sometimes God calls upon His people for a display of faith, as when He led them through the Jordan, or commanded them to compass Jericho seven days. But in days of despondency He compassionates their weakness and permits them to rely upon visible means of support (see also below, ver. 3). Matthew Henry thinks that a tacit rebuke is here administered to Joshua for sending so few men to Ai on the frowner occasion. He ought to have permitted all to have shared the toil and glory. I have given into thy hand. The work, let man do his best, is God's after all. The king. For the political condition of Palestine before the Israelitish invasion see Introduction. And his land. As in the case of the early Germanic peoples, there was a certain portion of their land in the neigbourhood attached to each city which was used for agricultural purposes (see Introduction; also Joshua 13:28; Joshua 14:4).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then the LORD
יְהוָ֤ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

said
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Joshua,
יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ (yə·hō·wō·šu·a‘)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3091: Joshua -- 'the LORD is salvation', Moses' successor, also the name of a number of Israelites

“Do not
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

be afraid
תִּירָ֣א (tî·rā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

or discouraged.
תֵּחָ֔ת (tê·ḥāṯ)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 2865: To prostrate, to break down, either, by violence, by confusion and fear

Take
קַ֣ח (qaḥ)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

the whole
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

army
הַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה (ham·mil·ḥā·māh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4421: A battle, war

with you,
עִמְּךָ֗ (‘im·mə·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

and go up
וְק֖וּם (wə·qūm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

and attack
עֲלֵ֣ה (‘ă·lêh)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively

Ai.
הָעָ֑י (hā·‘āy)
Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 5857: Ai -- a Canaanite city

See,
רְאֵ֣ה ׀ (rə·’êh)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

I have handed over to you
נָתַ֣תִּי (nā·ṯat·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

the king
מֶ֤לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Ai,
הָעַי֙ (hā·‘ay)
Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 5857: Ai -- a Canaanite city

his people,
עַמּ֔וֹ (‘am·mōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

his city,
עִיר֖וֹ (‘î·rōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

and
וְאֶת־ (wə·’eṯ-)
Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

his land.
אַרְצֽוֹ׃ (’ar·ṣōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land


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OT History: Joshua 8:1 Yahweh said to Joshua Don't be afraid (Josh. Jos)
Joshua 7:26
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