Wesley Corpus

only five thousand men, as is expressed, ver.12. Them - The same party last spoken of, even the five thousand mentioned ver.12, there are only two parties engaged in the taking of Ai, and but one ambush, as plainly appears by comparing ver.9, with ver.12, which speaks only of five thousand, who are justly supposed to be a part of those thirty thousand named, ver.3. That are - Or, that shall be: for at present he sent them away, ver.9, but the next morning followed, and joined himself with them, ver.10,11. That we - I and the twenty five thousand with me. Sent them - The same party. Among the people - Heb. that people, the people of war as they are called, ver.11, that is, the main body of the host consisting of thirty thousand. The people - Heb. that people, not all the people of Israel; which was needless, and required more time than could now be spared; but the rest of that host of thirty thousand, whereof five thousand were sent away; the remainder are numbered, to see whether some of them had not withdrawn themselves, taking the advantage of the night, and of the design of laying an ambush; and that it might be evident, this work was done without any loss of men, whereby they might be encouraged to trust in God, and to proceed resolutely in their work. The elders of Israel - The chief magistrates and rulers of Israel under Joshua; and these, I suppose, went with Joshua, and with the army, to take care that the cattle and the spoil of the city, which was given by God to all Israel for a prey, ver.2, 27, might be justly and equally divided between those that went to battle, and the rest of the people. That were with him - Namely, the thirty thousand mentioned, ver.3, or the most of them. And he took - Or rather, but he had taken, namely, out of the said number of thirty thousand, for this is added by way of recapitulation and farther explication of what is said in general, ver.9.