In the book of Joshua, we learned how, “Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labor there; for they are but few”, and in chapter seven and verse four of the book of Joshua, we learn how, “there went up there of the people about three thousand men” where we read,
So there went up there of the people about three thousand men:
and they fled before the men of Ai.
The verse reads, “So there went up there of the people about three thousand men:” Joshua or the writer said, “so there went up there” which means “therefore and then there ascended and arose to Ai” “of the people” or “from the human beings or warriors of Israel” “about three thousand men” which means “around three thousand male human beings of Israel”. Joshua or the writer shared how there ascended “three thousand” warriors from Israel to “Ai”.
The verse goes on to say, “and they fled before the men of Ai.” Joshua or the writer continued with the words, “and they fled” which means “and they, the three thousand warriors, were put to flight, departed and escaped” “before the men” or “in front and in advance of the male human beings” “of Ai” or “belonging to Ai whose name means heap of ruin”. Joshua or the writer shared how the three thousand warriors of Israel were put to flight by the male warriors who belonged to “Ai”.
When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we learn how “three thousand” warriors from Israel ascended to the city of “Ai”, however, they were put to flight by them when they arrived. This must have been a shock to the men of Israel because as we shall see, they had casualties among them as well. Unlike Israel at this time, God wants us to fully rely upon Him through His Son Jesus who came into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was raised from the dead after three days. When we put our faith and trust in Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put His Holy Spirit within us who will guide us into all truth including times where we have missed His guidance and suffer losses for it.
Next time we learn how, “the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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