John Calvin Commentary Joshua 8

And the Lord said unto Joshua, and so forth. It was of great consequence to Joshua, as well as the people, to inspire new courage, so that they might prepare with confidence to assault the city of Ai, from which they had recently been repulsed with loss and greater disgrace. God, therefore, to inspire them with fearlessness on this expedition, promised that He would give them the city. With the same aim, He instructed them to fight by stratagem more than open war, to entice the enemy out, and to select a secret place for an ambush that might take them by surprise.

A few thousand might have been overthrown without any difficulty by an immense host attacking the city suddenly and unexpectedly. But as we previously saw that the hearts of all had melted away, God accommodated their weakness by laying no greater burden on them than they were able to bear, until they had recovered from their excessive panic and could execute His commands with eagerness.

It is true, indeed, that He now used their own effort, partly so that they might not always keep looking for miracles and thus give themselves up to laziness, and partly so that in different and varying ways of acting they might nevertheless recognize that His power is the same. But care must be taken not to overlook the special reason: namely, that since they had not yet recovered from their terror, they could hardly have been persuaded to engage in an open conflict if they had not seen stratagem employed as additional support.

Primary importance, however, is given to the promise: Fear not, for I have delivered it into thy hands. For although it was spoken to Joshua, it applied equally to all the people, since it was essential that every single one of them should be freed from anxiety and filled with new confidence.

The order to burn the city like Jericho appears to be a concession to public sentiment, as the vengeance taken in this way served to erase the memory of their disgrace. At the same time, so that they might engage in the expedition more willingly, the spoils were left to them as the reward of victory.

Joshua went that night, etc. It is not probable that all were called out from the camp, but the army was composed of those who were more accustomed to war. That it was sufficiently numerous appears from the fact that five thousand were withdrawn from it for an ambush. At first, thirty-five thousand appear to be enumerated, but it is clear from the context that the number was not so great. I am rather inclined to conjecture that thirty thousand were led out for open fight, and that five thousand were specially set apart for an ambush. Joshua hastens to execute the task assigned to him, commencing his march in the morning, and in this haste, we see how effectual the promise had proved. Had not the mind of all been freed from fear, he never could have found them so prompt to obey.

Apparently, indeed, little prudence is shown in sending so large a body to proceed by hidden paths to a place suitable for an ambush. For with whatever silence and composure they might proceed, the mere movement of their feet must have caused a considerable noise. Should anyone say that there was nobody to meet them, as all the inhabitants of the district had deserted the fields and taken refuge in the city, we will find it mentioned shortly after that before the Israelites came near the city, their arrival was known by the king of Ai; and this could scarcely have been without scouts. But granting that they met no one in the fields, it was certainly a difficult matter to pass by, to select a suitable place during the night for an ambush, and to take possession of it without giving some indication of their presence.

With regard to the procedure of Joshua, though he might see that the business could be accomplished by a smaller force, he seems to have been compelled by the recent trepidation of the people to be very careful not to engage them in any enterprise of danger. For had only a few of the army been dispatched, they would perhaps have declined a task by which they were to be particularly exposed.

The Lord meanwhile displays the greatest indulgence to His people in delivering up an enemy that was to be so easily conquered. His wonderful favor especially appears in blinding all of them, so that they have no suspicion of the ambush. I have no doubt that when it is said they knew not of it, the writer of the history means to draw attention to the rare and extraordinary kindness of God in so covering, as it were, with the shadow of his hand, first, the thirty thousand who accompanied Joshua, and then the five thousand, that they all escaped the notice of the enemy.

When mention is now made of five thousand, I do not understand it to mean that Joshua furnished a new ambush, as if the number, already excessive, were not sufficient, but that the writer now merely shows how the thirty-five thousand whom Joshua had armed were distributed. For what purpose would so small a reinforcement have been given to so great a multitude? Besides, the place where they are ordered to halt is the same as that which had been previously pointed out; this could not apply to two separate bodies of troops.

And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten, etc. This is another stratagem. By pretending to flee, they draw off the enemy to a distance, leaving them no retreat afterwards into the city, which was in flames before they suspected that any disaster was to be anticipated in their rear. Hence, while the king of Ai pursues the Israelites as vanquished, the part of the army that lay hidden towards Bethel had sufficient time to take the city, and make it too late for the inhabitants to realize that they were utterly undone. For after they had already been repulsed, and were everywhere slaughtered, they were overwhelmed with despair on seeing the flames of the city, and so completely surrounded that not an individual could escape.

The question asked here by some, whether it is lawful to overcome an enemy by wiles and stratagem, originates in gross ignorance. First, it is certain that wars are carried on not merely by striking blows; for those are considered the best commanders who accomplish more by skill and counsel than by mere violence; and secondly, the longer anyone has served to acquire experience, the better soldier he becomes. If war, then, is lawful, it is beyond all controversy that the usual methods of conquering may be lawfully employed, provided that there is no violation of faith once pledged, either by truce or in any other way.

And there was not a man left in Ai, etc. It will be clear from the context that some were captured in the city and slain. Therefore, we must hold that the sally was not made by everyone, and that the old men, women, and many others unfit for war, did not rush out into the fields; the meaning simply is that no garrison was left to defend the city.

The same thing is said of Bethel, and from this we may easily conjecture that Bethel, since it was a small, unimportant town, belonged to another power. The inhabitants, however, being unable to defend their own city, abandoned it and offered their entire force to the king of Ai, to whom they were perhaps tributaries.

It is uncertain whether they went to the king of Ai before the arrival of the Israelites to unite their forces with his in the contest, but it is probable that, since they were unable to resist, they had come by agreement into a fortified and more populous city. They thought that they could not possibly be safe unless they were protected under the shadow of a neighboring city superior to their own.

And the Lord said to Joshua, etc. This passage shows that, owing either to the strong fortifications of the city, the valor of its inhabitants, or the trepidation of the Israelites, the victory was difficult, since God promises that He Himself would take it by the lifting up of a spear.

Had success been beyond doubt, the symbol would have been superfluous; their minds must therefore have been anxious and perplexed, since the Lord, to prevent them from fainting, raises up a banner of confidence in the hand of Joshua. It is true, indeed, that shortly afterward a different motive for raising the spear is mentioned, when it is said that in this way a signal was given to the ambush, which accordingly rushed forth.

But if it really was so used as a signal, it is scarcely fitting to regard the spear as a manifestation of the victorious power of God dispelling all doubt. Still, however, as it is not expressly said that the spear was the cause which brought forth the soldiers who had been placed in ambush, the truth may be that they came forth of their own accord, either because it was the suitable time, or because the shouting and noise made them aware that the battle had actually commenced.

For it is scarcely possible to believe that the spear was seen by them, when we consider the considerable distance that intervened, and more especially that Joshua was standing in a valley. Moreover, if we hold that the lifting up of the spear, though intended for a different purpose, also had the effect of inspiring them with additional courage, there will be no absurdity in it.

This much ought to be regarded as certain: first, that by this solemn badge they were made more certain of the successful outcome of the battle; and secondly, that Joshua had no other intention than to incite his troops according to the command of God. For it is at last added that Joshua did not draw back his hand until the city was taken, the enemy everywhere destroyed, and the war itself terminated. Hence it appears that he exhibited it in the middle of the conflict as an ensign of triumph, so that the Israelites might have no doubt of success. For although he ordered them to engage and use their arms bravely, he at the same time distinctly declared that they had already conquered.

The course of the battle is made somewhat obscure by the same thing being told twice, but the substance is sufficiently plain. The children of Israel retreated, feigning fear, and the battle had not actually commenced before the inhabitants of Ai were prevented from returning and defending their city. After the two armies had come to close quarters, the ambush arose and made such haste that the flames of the conflagration were rising from the city when the enemy turned their backs. From this we may infer that the city was in the possession of the Israelites, but that the chief slaughter took place when those who were in the city came forth to take part in the battle, because the inhabitants, hemmed in on all sides, found resistance and flight equally unavailing. They were thus seized with despair and, huddled together in a narrow space, were everywhere cut down.

The statement that the slaughter did not take place in the city before those who had feigned flight returned, I understand to mean that the whole troops, uniting their forces, rushed in, seized the prey, and killed all who might have been left.

If anyone objects that the city was burnt while the battle was going on, I answer that the fire was indeed set so as to let both armies know that the city was in the possession of the Israelites, but it was not actually destroyed by fire.

It was not practicable in a moment to seize and carry off the booty, or even to bring the vessels and a large part of the property outside the walls; and it would have been absurd to voluntarily destroy spoils which God had granted. We see, then, that the first fire was not kindled for the purpose of destroying the whole city, but was merely a partial fire signaling its capture, and that the Israelites entered at the open gates without bloodshed or a struggle.

This is confirmed shortly afterward, when the burning is ascribed to Joshua himself—not only because it was burnt under his command, but because he was careful, after returning from the battle, to see that it was utterly destroyed. As it is immediately added, he made it a heap of stones so that it might be a perpetual desolation.