Wesley Corpus

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. Joshua went - Namely, accompanied with a small part of the host now mentioned, that is, very early in the morning, when it was yet dark, as is said in a like case, John 20:1, whence it is here called night, though it was early in the morning, as is said, Jos 8:10, for it seems most probable, that all was done in one night's space, and in this manner; Joshua sends away the ambush by night, ver.3, and lodgeth that night with twenty - five thousand men, ver.9, not far from the city. But not able or willing to sleep all night, he rises very early, ver.10, and numbers his men, which by the help of the several officers was quietly done, and so immediately leads them towards Ai; and while it was yet duskish or night, he goes into the midst of the valley, ver.13, and when the day dawns he is discovered by the king and people of Ai, who thereupon rose up early to fight with them, ver.14. The valley - Which was near the city, thereby to allure them forth. His people - Namely, all his men of war, for the rest were left in Ai, ver.16. At a time appointed - At a certain hour agreed upon between the king and people of Ai, and of Bethel too, who were their confederates in this enterprize, as it may seem from ver.17. Possibly they might appoint the same hour of the day on which they had fought against Israel with good success, looking upon it as a lucky hour. Before the plain - That is, towards or in sight of that plain or valley in which the Israelites were, that so they might put themselves in battle - array. Against him - The former success having made him secure, as is usual in such cases; God also blinding his mind, and infatuating him, as he useth to do with those whom he intends to destroy. Made as if they were beaten - That is, fled from them, as it were for fear of a second blow.