Joshua 8 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study

Joshua 8 Summary - A Quick Overview

WHEN:

• Israel’s conquest of the Promised Land began around 1450 B.C., which places the events in the beginning of Joshua 8 at approximately 1450 B.C.

• The events in Joshua 8 took place after God gave Israel victory over Jericho.   

CHARACTERS:

• Joshua - Moses’ assistant while he led the people in the wilderness. God selected Joshua to lead the Israelites into Canaan after Moses’ death.

• Men of Ai - The citizens of the city of Ai fought against Joshua and the Israelites.

WHERE:

• Joshua 7-8 center around the city of Ai. Ai is described as being near Beth-aven, east of Bethel.

• At the end of Joshua 8, the Israelite camp moved north to Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim.

OUTLINE:

• THE ISRAELITES MAKE WAR WITH AI A SECOND TIME (8:1-29):

  • After the disobedience of Achan had been dealt with (Joshua 7), God told Joshua to return and fight against Ai.

  • At God’s instruction, Joshua set an ambush for the enemy army.

  • He stationed 30,000 men behind the city and told them to remain hidden as the main part of the army attacked Ai from the front (north).

  • Joshua set another ambush of 5,000 men on the west side of the city, between Bethel and Ai.

  • Early the next morning, the king of Ai met Joshua on the battlefield.

  • During the battle, Joshua ordered his men to withdraw, acting as if they were losing the battle and needed to retreat.

  • As planned, the army of Ai perused the Israelites, leaving their city exposed and unprotected.

  • When Joshua had drawn the enemy army far enough away from the city, he signaled for the ambush.

  • The men hiding in ambush, sprung up from their hiding places, entered Ai, and set the city on fire.

  • As soon as Joshua saw the smoke rising from the city, he ordered his men to turn around and reengage.

  • The men of Ai were trapped between Israel’s main army and their ambushing force, and all the men of Ai were killed.

  • In total, 12,000 people from Ai were killed.

  • The king of Ai was hung on a tree until evening and then his body was buried at the gate of the city under a heap of stones.

  • The Israelites took the spoil of the city before burning it and turning it into a “heap of ruins.”

• THE WORDS OF GOD ARE READ AT MOUNT EBAL AND MOUNT GERIZIM (8:30-35):

  • When the Israelites came to Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, Joshua built an altar on Mount Ebal as Moses previously instructed (Deuteronomy 27).

  • Joshua wrote a copy of the law of Moses on the uncut stones that formed the altar.

  • The entire camp of Israel gathered at the mountains to hear a reading of the Book of the Law, with half standing in front of Mount Gerizim, the other half in front of Mount Ebal, and the Ark of the Covenant between them.

  • Every portion of the law was read in the hearing of the people, all the blessings and all the curses.  
    

APPLICATION:

• In Joshua 8, God sent Israel on the offensive against a wicked city.

• Is our faith ever offensive or do we only engage the enemy on defense?

• The Bible makes it clear we are engaged in a spiritual battle between good and evil (Eph 6:12).

• As individuals and churches, we should be thinking about proactive ways to win ground against the enemy. A purely reactive strategy isn’t enough.