Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And so it was, that all that fell that day,.... Partly in the city, and partly in the field, both by the ambush and the army: both of men and women:

were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai; so that the city was not a very large one, and the numbers of inhabitants were comparatively but few, as in Joshua 7:3.

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai.

Of Ai — Not strictly, but largely so called, who were now in Ai, either as constant and settled inhabitants, or as sojourners and such as came to them for their help.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

Joshua 8:25 And [so] it was, [that] all that fell that day, both of men and women, [were] twelve thousand, [even] all the men of Ai.

Ver. 25. Were twelve thousand.] A poor few to stand out against such an army; but self-confidence undid them.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Not strictly, but largely so called, who were now in Ai, either as constant and settled inhabitants, or as sojourners, and such as came to them for their help, such as being confederate with them are esteemed as one with them; for it is evident that the men of Beth-el are included in this number, Joshua 8:17, the Israelites who took this number being unable to distinguish who belonged to the one city, and who to the other.

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

‘And all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve eleph, even all the men of Ai.’

This figure probably included the men from Bethel. The habit of mentioning the allies only once and then assuming their presence occurs elsewhere. Compare Judges 3:13 in a passage which might give the impression that only Moabites were involved, while the Ammonites and Amalekites were involved too; and Judges 6-8 where it is the Midianites who are prominent in most of the passages even though they have allies in the Amalekites and the children of the East. Consider also Judges 12 where Ammon clearly included Moab (the king of Ammon uses Moabite claims as his basis for his demands) even though they were not mentioned.

But, as we have suggested earlier, it may well be in this case that the men of Ai and the men of Bethel were in fact one, with the original men of Ai being a vanguard for all Bethel. All had in Israel’s sight issued forth from Ai. Thus the men of Bethel were men of Ai.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

[25. Twelve thousand — Some expositors have argued that these twelve thousand were only the military force of Ai; but this would imply a population of fifty or sixty thousand; a number far too large for a comparatively small city among the hills. Compare chap. Joshua 7:3. This verse clearly affirms that the twelve thousand included all that fell that day, both of men and women.]

25. Joshua drew not his hand back — The uplifted spear was not only a signal for the assault of the city, but also for its continuance till the conquest was completed. We see no good reason for regarding this act as symbolic of prayer, as was the lifting up of Moses’ hands when Israel fought with Amalek. Exodus 17:11.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai.

No JFB commentary on this verse.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

25.And so it was that all that fell that day, etc The meaning is not that all the slain were inhabitants of Ai, but that all who dwelt in it were slain, that not one escaped. It has already been seen that the inhabitants of Bethel were mingled along with them; and as no mention of that city is afterwards made, it may be conjectured with some probability that they had abandoned their own town, which was little fortified, and betaken themselves for greater safety to one which they hoped could be easily defended. The words, therefore, simply mean, that all who had come out of the city and all who were found in it were slain to a man. If any are rather disposed to think that this number of those whose slaughter took place within the walls is confined to the aged, the sick, the women and the children, I will not dispute the matter. Still, if we consider that only a small town was conjoined with a city of no great extent or population, it is more probable that the number comprehends those also who fell in battle.