Today’s passage: Joshua 8:1-29
Helpful thoughts:
- Israel’s loss in the previous battle served as a tactic for the second and final battle.
- Every man in the nearby city of Bethel joined this fight, so it would make sense that Israel actually defeated two cities on this day, though they focused on the initial goal of taking Ai.
- Israel brought thirty thousand or more men for the battle. The entire city of Ai had a population of twelve hundred.
Questions to consider:
- What was Joshua’s lifted hand with javelin symbolizing? Why did he not take it down until all of Ai was finally destroyed?
- What was confirmed for Joshua and Israel after this battle victory? Of what were they reassured and reminded?
- Why would it be wrong to say that God had abandoned Israel in chapter 7 but “came back” in verse 8? Did He ever leave them? Does God abandon you when you sin? (Hebrews 12:3-11)