Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. New Living Translation Joshua sent some of his men from Jericho to spy out the town of Ai, east of Bethel, near Beth-aven. English Standard Version Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “Go up and spy out the land.” And the men went up and spied out Ai. Berean Standard Bible Meanwhile, Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the land.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. King James Bible And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. New King James Version Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, “Go up and spy out the country.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. New American Standard Bible Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “Go up and spy out the land.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. NASB 1995 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “Go up and spy out the land.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. NASB 1977 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “Go up and spy out the land.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. Legacy Standard Bible Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “Go up and spy out the land.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. Amplified Bible Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “Go up and spy out the land.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. Christian Standard Bible Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and scout the land.” So the men went up and scouted Ai. Holman Christian Standard Bible Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and scout the land.” So the men went up and scouted Ai. American Standard Version And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aven, on the east side of Beth-el, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and spy out the land. And the men went up and spied out Ai. Contemporary English Version While Israel was still camped near Jericho, Joshua sent some spies with these instructions: "Go to the town of Ai and find out whatever you can about the region around the town." The spies left and went to Ai, which is east of Bethel and near Beth-Aven. English Revised Version And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aven, on the east side of Beth-el, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and spy out the land. And the men went up and spied out Ai. GOD'S WORD® Translation Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai. Ai is near Beth Aven, east of Bethel. He said to them, "Go, look at that country." So the men went and looked at Ai. Good News Translation Joshua sent some men from Jericho to Ai, a city east of Bethel, near Bethaven, with orders to go and explore the land. When they had done so, International Standard Version Meanwhile, Joshua had sent some soldiers from Jericho to Ai, which was near Beth-aven, east of Bethel. He ordered them, "Go up and scout the land." So the soldiers went up and scouted Ai and Majority Standard Bible Meanwhile, Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, ?Go up and spy out the land.? So the men went up and spied out Ai. NET Bible Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai (which is located near Beth Aven, east of Bethel) and instructed them, "Go up and spy on the land." So the men went up and spied on Ai. New Heart English Bible Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, "Go up and spy out the land." The men went up and spied out Ai. Webster's Bible Translation And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aven, on the east side of Beth-el, and spoke to them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. World English Bible Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, “Go up and spy out the land.” The men went up and spied out Ai. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd Joshua sends men from Jericho to Ai, which [is] near Beth-Aven, on the east of Bethel, and speaks to them, saying, “Go up and spy out the land”; and the men go up and spy Ai, Young's Literal Translation And Joshua sendeth men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-Aven, on the east of Bethel, and speaketh unto them, saying, 'Go up and spy the land;' and the men go up and spy Ai, Smith's Literal Translation And Joshua will send men from Jericho to Ai, which is by the house of Ain, from the east, to the house of God, and he will say to them, saying, Go up and spy the land. And the men will go up and will spy Ai. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd when Josue sent men from Jericho against Hai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of the town of Bethel, he said to them: Go up, and view the country: and they fulfilled his command, and viewed Hai. Catholic Public Domain Version And when Joshua sent men from Jericho against Ai, which is beside Bethaven, toward the eastern region of the town of Bethel, he said to them, “Go up and explore the land.” And they fulfilled his instruction, and they explored Ai. New American Bible Joshua next sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven and east of Bethel, with the order, “Go up and reconnoiter the land.” When they had explored Ai, New Revised Standard Version Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “Go up and spy out the land.” And the men went up and spied out Ai. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aon, on the east side of Beth-el, and said to them, Go up and spy out the land. And the men went up and spied out Ai. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And Yeshua sent men from Yerikho to Ai which was upon the side of Bayth Awan from the east of Bayth Eil, and he said to them: “Go up, spy out the land.” And the men went up and spied out Ai OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aven, on the east side of Beth-el, and spoke unto them, saying: 'Go up and spy out the land.' And the men went up and spied out Ai. Brenton Septuagint Translation And Joshua sent men to Gai, which is by Baethel, saying, Spy out Gai: and the men went up and spied Gai. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Israel Defeated at Ai1The Israelites, however, acted unfaithfully regarding the things devoted to destruction. Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of what was set apart. So the anger of the LORD burned against the Israelites. 2Meanwhile, Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the land.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. 3On returning to Joshua, they reported, “There is no need to send all the people; two or three thousand men are enough to go up and attack Ai. Since the people of Ai are so few, you need not wear out all our people there.”… Cross References Numbers 13:17-20 When Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, he told them, “Go up through the Negev and into the hill country. / See what the land is like and whether its people are strong or weak, few or many. / Is the land where they live good or bad? Are the cities where they dwell open camps or fortifications? ... Judges 18:2-10 So the Danites sent out five men from their clans, men of valor from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and explore it. “Go and explore the land,” they told them. The men entered the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah, where they spent the night. / And while they were near Micah’s house, they recognized the voice of the young Levite; so they went over and asked him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? Why are you here?” / “Micah has done this and that for me,” he replied, “and he has hired me to be his priest.” ... Deuteronomy 1:22-25 Then all of you approached me and said, “Let us send men ahead of us to search out the land and bring us word of what route to follow and which cities to enter.” / The plan seemed good to me, so I selected twelve men from among you, one from each tribe. / They left and went up into the hill country, and came to the Valley of Eshcol and spied out the land. ... 1 Samuel 26:4 David sent out spies to verify that Saul had arrived. 1 Samuel 30:9-10 So David and his six hundred men went to the Brook of Besor, where some stayed behind / because two hundred men were too exhausted to cross the brook. But David and four hundred men continued in pursuit. 2 Samuel 2:1 Some time later, David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” “Go up,” the LORD answered. Then David asked, “Where should I go?” “To Hebron,” replied the LORD. 2 Samuel 5:19 So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?” “Go up,” replied the LORD, “for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hand.” 2 Kings 6:13-14 So the king said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send men to capture him.” On receiving the report, “Elisha is in Dothan,” / the king of Aram sent horses, chariots, and a great army. They went there by night and surrounded the city. 1 Chronicles 14:10 So David inquired of God, “Should I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?” “Go,” replied the LORD, “for I will deliver them into your hand.” Nehemiah 2:12-15 I set out at night with a few men. I did not tell anyone what my God had laid on my heart to do for Jerusalem. The only animal with me was the one on which I was riding. / So I went out at night through the Valley Gate toward the Well of the Serpent and the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that had been broken down and the gates that had been destroyed by fire. / Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was no room for the animal under me to get through; ... Matthew 10:5-6 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go onto the road of the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. / Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. Luke 10:1-3 After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of Him to every town and place He was about to visit. / And He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest. / Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. John 4:35-38 Do you not say, ‘There are still four months until the harvest’? I tell you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are ripe for harvest. / Already the reaper draws his wages and gathers a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may rejoice together. / For in this case the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. ... Acts 13:2-3 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” / And after they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them off. Acts 16:6-10 After the Holy Spirit had prevented them from speaking the word in the province of Asia, they traveled through the region of Phrygia and Galatia. / And when they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit them. / So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. ... Treasury of Scripture And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. to Ai Joshua 12:9 The king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one; Genesis 12:8 And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD. Hai Joshua 18:12 And their border on the north side was from Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north side, and went up through the mountains westward; and the goings out thereof were at the wilderness of Bethaven. Genesis 28:19 And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. Hosea 4:15 Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD liveth. Go up Joshua 2:1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there. Proverbs 20:18 Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war. Proverbs 24:6 For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellers there is safety. Jump to Previous Ai Aven Beth Bethaven Beth-Aven Beth-A'ven Bethel Beth-El Country East Jericho Joshua Placed Search Side Spied Spy View ViewedJump to Next Ai Aven Beth Bethaven Beth-Aven Beth-A'ven Bethel Beth-El Country East Jericho Joshua Placed Search Side Spied Spy View ViewedJoshua 7 1. The Israelites are smitten at Ai6. Joshua's complaint 10. God instructs him what to do 16. Achan is taken by the lot 19. His confession 24. He and all he had are destroyed in the valley of Achor Meanwhile, Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai This phrase indicates a continuation of events following the fall of Jericho, a significant victory for the Israelites. Jericho was the first city conquered in the Promised Land, symbolizing God's faithfulness to His promises. The sending of men to Ai shows Joshua's strategic leadership and reliance on reconnaissance, a common military practice. Ai, meaning "ruin," was a smaller city compared to Jericho, suggesting a seemingly easier conquest. This action reflects the ongoing mission to claim the land God promised to Abraham (Genesis 12:7). which is near Beth-aven to the east of Bethel and told them, “Go up and spy out the land.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. Persons / Places / Events 1. JoshuaThe leader of the Israelites after Moses, tasked with leading the people into the Promised Land. He is a central figure in the conquest accounts. 2. Jericho The first city conquered by the Israelites in the Promised Land, known for its miraculous fall after the Israelites marched around its walls. 3. Ai A city near Beth-aven and east of Bethel, targeted by Joshua for conquest after Jericho. Its name means "ruin" in Hebrew, which is significant given the events that follow. 4. Beth-aven A location near Ai, its name means "house of wickedness" in Hebrew, often used in the Bible to denote idolatry or false worship. 5. Bethel A significant city in Israelite history, meaning "house of God" in Hebrew. It was a place of worship and revelation for the patriarchs. Teaching Points The Importance of ObedienceJoshua's decision to send spies reflects a strategic approach, but the subsequent events in Ai remind us that obedience to God's commands is paramount. We must ensure our plans align with God's will. The Consequences of Sin The failure at Ai, which follows this verse, is a direct result of Achan's sin. This teaches us that individual sin can have communal consequences, urging us to live righteously. Seeking God's Guidance While Joshua's military strategy was sound, the need for divine guidance is crucial. In our lives, we should seek God's direction in all decisions, big or small. Community Accountability The account of Ai underscores the importance of accountability within the community of believers. We are called to support and correct one another in love. Faith and Action Joshua's leadership exemplifies the balance between faith in God's promises and taking action. We are encouraged to trust God while actively pursuing His purposes.(2) Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai.--Why Ai should be the next town selected for attack after Jericho, is a question which perhaps we cannot answer with certainty. But we may observe that the next step after the capture of Ai, before the further conquest of the country, was to set up the Ten Commandments in Mount Ebal, in the heart of the country, and to pronounce there the blessing and the curse which are the sanction of the law of God. It may well be that the course of the first military operations was directed to this end. The capture of Ai would put the Israelites in possession of the main road running north and south through Palestine, and enable them to reach the centre immediately. Thus the character of the war, which was no mere human enterprise, is maintained; and it is probable that the Divine reason for the movement is that which we are intended to observe. For the first mention of Ai, see Genesis 12:8. It is noticeable that there Abram fitst pitched his tent after his return to Canaan out of Egypt. (See also on Joshua 8:1.) Note also that Beth-aven and Bethel are distinct, although adjacent, places. The one is not a later name of the other, as has been sometimes supposed, although one is "the house of vanity" (i.e., perhaps of idols) and the other "the house of God."Verse 2. - Ai. עַי or הָעַי "the ruins" (cf. Iim and Ije-abarim, the ruins or heaps of Abarim, Numbers 33:44, 45; and Iim, Joshua 15:29. Probably it is the same as הָעַוּים which we find mentioned in conjunction with Bethel in Joshua 18:22, 23. It becomes עַיָּא in Nehemiah 11:31, and the feminine form is found in Isaiah 10:28. The latter, from the mention of Michmash in the route of Sennacherib immediately afterwards, is probably the same as Ai. Robinson and Hell - the former very doubtfully - place it at Turmus Aya, an eminence crowned with ruins above Deir Duwan. But Vandevelde contests this, and places it at Tell-el-Hajar, i.e., the Tell or heap of ruins; and G. Williams and Capt. Wilson have independently fixed on the same spot, though they call it et-Tel, or "the heap," and suppose the "el-Hajar" to have been added in answer to the question, "what heap?" This situation seems best to suit the requirements of the narrative. For it is "on the southern brow of the Wady-el-Mutyah" (Vandevelde), near that "wild entanglement of hill and valley at the head of the Wady Harith," which "climbs into the heart of the mountains of Benjamin till it meets the central ridge of the country at Bethel" (Stanley, 'Sinai and Palestine,' p. 202). Its situation, unlike that of Turmus Aya, is calculated to give cover to an ambush of 5,000 men, and it also answers to the conditions in its nearness to Michmash, from which Turmus Aya is more than three hours' journey distant. The Tell is "covered with heaps of ruins" (Capt. Wilson, 'Palestine Exploration Fund Quarterly Statement,' 4. p. 124). Conder, however ('Handbook,' p. 254), identifies Ai with Haiyan, two miles from Bethel, in the same Wady, but why, he gives no hint. A fortress so situated was one which Joshua could not leave in his rear, and so its capture was a matter of necessity. By its position, if not from the number of its inhabitants, it was necessarily a very strong one. Ai is mentioned as early as Genesis 12:8, and we find that it was inhabited down to the Captivity, for the "men of Bethel and Ai" are mentioned (and, it may be observed, in close proximity to those of Rama, Geba, and Michmash - see Isaiah 10:28 above cited) in Ezra 2:28. See also Nehemiah 11:31, above cited. The name Ai, or ruins, found so early, implies that the aboriginal inhabitants had built a city in that almost inaccessible situation. Lieut. Conder gives a very vivid description of the site et-Tel in 'Palestine Exploration Fund Quarterly Statement,' April, 1874. There are, he says, "huge mounds of broken stone and shingle ten feet high. The town," he adds, "must have been pounded small, and the fury of its destruction is still evidenced by its completeness." He continues: "The party for the ambush, following the ancient causeway from Bethel to Jordan (which we have recovered throughout its entire length) as far as Michmash, would then easily ascend the great wady west of Ai, and arrive within a quarter of a mile of the city without having ever come in sight of it. Here, hidden by the knoll of Burjums and the high ground near it, a force of almost any magnitude might wait unsuspected. The main body in the meanwhile, without diverging from the road, would ascend the gently sloping valley and appear before the town on the open battlefield which stretches away to its east and south. From the knoll the figure of Joshua would be plainly visible to either party, with his spear stretched against the sky" [see ch Joshua 8:18). But the site still eludes investigation. Lieut. Kitchener, Mr. Birch, Mr. Guest, would place it at Kh-Haiy, or the rock Rimmon. When those who have visited the country are so divided in opinion, nothing but silence remains for those who have not. Beth-avern (cf. 1 Samuel 14:23). This place has not yet been identified. It was close by Ai, and not far from Bethel, as the transference of its name to Bethel by Hosea (Hosea 4:15; 5:8; 10:5) shows. It could not have been a place of any importance, or the historian would not have found it necessary to explain where it was. Hosea has perhaps derived his knowledge of it from this passage. Some writers have identified it with Bethel. But this is obviously incorrect, since the literal rendering of the Hebrew here places Ai "in the immediate proximity of Beth-aven, eastward of Bethel." The LXX. omits all reference to Beth-aven. But there are many various readings. Bethel Formerly Luz (Genesis 28:19; Genesis 35:7; Judges 1:23). The last-cited passage seems to prove that Bethel was not among, the cities taken during Joshua's campaign; though this is extraordinary in the face of the fact that the inhabitants of Luz gave their assistance to the men of Ai in the battle (see Joshua 8:17, where, however, it is remarkable that the LXX. omits all reference to Bethel). We may observe that there is no mention of the capture of Bethel, or the destruction of the inhabitants, and that this exactly agrees with Judges 1:22-26. This is an undesigned coincidence well worthy of note. We may also remark on the exact conformity between the situation of Bethel as described here and in Genesis 12:8. The city to which the name Bethel was attached was not the place of Abraham's altar, as we learn from the passage just cited, but was in its immediate neighbourhood. The ruins which now mark its site are of a later date than the events recorded in Scripture. Its modern name is Beitin. Go up and view the country. Rather, spy (or reconnoitre); literally, foot the country. Joshua does not refuse to avail himself of human expedients because he is under Divine guidance (see also ch. 2). The reasons for this reconnoitring expedition are made clear enough by the passage quoted from Lieut. Condor's survey above. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Meanwhile, Joshuaיְהוֹשֻׁ֨עַ (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 sent וַיִּשְׁלַח֩ (way·yiš·laḥ) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out men אֲנָשִׁ֜ים (’ă·nā·šîm) Noun - masculine plural Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person from Jericho מִֽירִיח֗וֹ (mî·rî·ḥōw) Preposition-m | Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 3405: Jericho -- a city in the Jordan Valley captured by Joshua to Ai, הָעַ֞י (hā·‘ay) Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 5857: Ai -- a Canaanite city which אֲשֶׁ֨ר (’ă·šer) Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that is near עִם־ (‘im-) Preposition Strong's 5973: With, equally with Beth-aven, אָ֙וֶן֙ (’ā·wen) Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 1007: Beth-aven -- between east מִקֶּ֣דֶם (miq·qe·ḏem) Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 6924: The front, of place, time of Bethel, אֵ֔ל (’êl) Preposition | Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 1008: Bethel -- 'house of God', a city in Ephraim, also a place in southern Judah and told them, וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (way·yō·mer) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say “Go up עֲל֖וּ (‘ă·lū) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively and spy out וְרַגְּל֣וּ (wə·rag·gə·lū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine plural Strong's 7270: To walk along, to reconnoiter, to be a, tale-bearer, to lead about the land.” הָאָ֑רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 776: Earth, land So the men הָאֲנָשִׁ֔ים (hā·’ă·nā·šîm) Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person went up וַֽיַּעֲלוּ֙ (way·ya·‘ă·lū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively and spied out וַֽיְרַגְּל֖וּ (way·rag·gə·lū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 7270: To walk along, to reconnoiter, to be a, tale-bearer, to lead about Ai. הָעָֽי׃ (hā·‘āy) Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 5857: Ai -- a Canaanite city Links Joshua 7:2 NIVJoshua 7:2 NLT Joshua 7:2 ESV Joshua 7:2 NASB Joshua 7:2 KJV Joshua 7:2 BibleApps.com Joshua 7:2 Biblia Paralela Joshua 7:2 Chinese Bible Joshua 7:2 French Bible Joshua 7:2 Catholic Bible OT History: Joshua 7:2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai (Josh. 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