them not to venture on the pursuit of an army which they saw was so far superior to them in numbers, and leave their city unguarded; but (Si populus vult decipi, dicipiatur—If the people will be deceived, let them.) if the Canaanites were so easily imposed upon, and, in pursuit of God's Israel, will break through all the laws of policy and good management, the Israelites are not at all to be blamed for taking advantage of their fury and thoughtlessness: nor is it any way inconsistent with the character God is pleased to give of them, that they are children that will not lie.
Now in the account here given of this matter,
I. There is some difficulty in adjusting the numbers that were employed to effect it. Mention is made, v. 3, of thirty thousand, that were chosen and sent away by night, to whom the charge was given to surprise the city as soon as ever they perceived it was evacuated, v. 4, 7, 8. And yet afterward, v. 12. it is said, Joshua took five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush behind the city, and that ambush entered the city, and set it on fire, v. 19. Now, 1. Some think there were two parties sent out to lie in ambush, thirty thousand first, and afterward five thousand to guard the roads, and to intercept those of the city that might think to save themselves by flight, or to strengthen those that were first sent out; and that Joshua made his open attack upon the city, with all the thousands of Israel. So the learned Bishop Patrick, insisting upon God's command, v. 1. to take all the people of war with him. But, 2. Others think that all the people were taken only to encamp before the city, and that out of them Joshua chose out thirty thousand men to be employed in the action, out of which he sent five thousand to lie in ambush, which were as many as could be supposed to march incognito—without being discovered: (more would have been seen, and thus the design would have been broken;) and that then with the other twenty-five thousand he made the open attack, as Masius thinks, or with the thirty thousand, which, as Calvin thinks, he kept entire for that purpose, having, beside them, sent out five thousand for an ambuscade. And those five thousand (they think) must be meant by them, v. 3. which he sent away by night, with orders to lie in wait behind the city, though the particular number is not specified till v. 12. If we may admit such a seeming disturbance in the order of the narrative, (of which, perhaps, similar instances might be cited from the other scripture-histories,) it seems most probable that there was but one ambushment, which consisted only of five thousand, enough for such a purpose.
II. Yet the principal parts of the story are plain enough, that a detachment being secretly marched behind the city, on the other side to that on which the main body of the army lay, (the situation of the countiy, it is probable, favouring their concealment,) Joshua, and the forces with him, faced the city; the garrison made a vigorous sally out upon them, whereupon they withdrew, gave ground and retreated in some seeming disorder toward the wilderness; which being perceived by the men of Ai, they drew out all the force they had to pursue them. This gave a fair opporturlity for them that lay in ambush to make themselves masters of the city, whereof when they had given notice, by a smoke to Joshua, he, with all his force, returned upon the pursuers, who now, when it was too late, were aware of the snare they were drawn into, for their retreat being intercepted, they were every man of them cut off. The like artifice we find used, Judg. 20, 29, &c.
Now in this story we may observe,
1. What a brave commander Joshua was. See, (1.) His conduct and prudence. God gave him the hint, v. 2. that he should lay in ambush behind the city, but left him to himself to order the particulars, which he did admirably well. Doubtless, Wisdom strengthens the wise more than ten mighty men, Eccl. 7. 19. (2.) His care and industry, v. 10. He rose up early in the morning, that he might lose no time, and to show how intent his mind was upon his business. Those that would maintain their spiritual conflicts, must not love their ease. (3.) His courage and resolution; though an army of Israelites had been repulsed before Ai, yet he resolves to lead them on in person the second time, v. 5. Being himself also an elder, he took the elders of Israel with him to make this attack upon the city, v. 10. as if he were going rather to sit in judgment upon them as criminals, than to fight them as enemies. (4.) His caution and consideration, v. 13. He went that night into the midst ofthe valley, to make the necessary dispositions for an attack, and to see that every thing was in good order. It is the pious conjecture of the learned Bishop Patrick that he went into the valley alone to pray to God for a blessing upon his enterprise, and he did not seek in vain. (5.) His constancy and perseverance; when he had stretched out his spear toward the city, v. 18. (a spear almost as fatal and formidable to the enemies of Israel as the rod of Moses was) he never drew back his hand till the work was done. His hands in fighting, like Moses's in interceding, were steady to the going down of the sun. Those that have stretched out their hands against their spiritual enemies, must never draw them back. Lastly, What Joshua did in the stratagem is applicable to our Lord Jesus, of whom he was a type. Joshua conquered by yielding, as if he had himself been conquered; so our Lord Jesus, when he bowed his head and gave up the ghost, seemed as if death had triumphed over him, and as if he and all his interests had been routed and ruined: but in his resurrection he rallied again and gave the powers of darkness a total defeat; he broke the serpent's head, by suffering him to bruise his heel. A glorious stratagem!
2. What an obedient people Israel was; what Joshua commanded them to do according to the commandment of the Lord, v. 8. they did it without murmuring or disputing. They that were sent to lie in ambush between Beth-el and Ai, (two cities confederate against them,) were in a post of danger, and had they been discovered, might all have been cut off, and yet they ventured it; and when the body of the army retreated and fled, it was both disgraceful and perilous; and yet, in obedience to Joshua, they did it.
3. What an infatuated enemy the king of Ai was, (1.) That he did not by his scouts discover those that lay in ambush behind the city, v. 14. Some observe it as a remarkable instance of the power of God in making men blind to their own interest, and the things that belong to their peace, that he wist not that there were liers in wait against him. They are most in danger, who are least aware that they are so. (2.) That when Israel seemed to fly, he drew out all his forces to pursue them, and left none to guard his city and to secure his retreat, v. 17. Thus the church's enemies often run themselves into destruction by their own fury and the violence of their rage against the Israel of God. Pharaoh plunged himself into the Red-sea by the eagerness with which he pursued Israel. (3.) That from the killing of thirty-six men out of three thousand, when Israel made the former attack upon his city, he should infer the total routing of so great an army as now he had to deal with, v. 6, They flee before us as at the first. See how the prosperity of fools destroys them, and hardens them to their ruin. God had made use of the men of Ai as a scourge to chas-
