Bible Strands
Joshua 8:26
Joshua did not draw back the hand that held his battle lance until he had devoted to destruction all who lived in Ai.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Joshua acts as Israel's military commander immediately after the ambush succeeds and the city's inhabitants are being executed. He maintains his posture of command following Yahweh's prior instruction to extend his lance toward the city.
The words — The Hebrew verb הֵשִׁׁיב (he.shiv) translates literally as he drew back, while נָטָה (na.tah) means he stretched out. These paired terms establish the physical limit of Joshua's obedience.
The thread — This sustained gesture mirrors Moses holding his hands aloft in Exodus 17:11 to secure Israel's battlefield advantage. The directive originates in Joshua 8:18, where Yahweh commands Joshua to extend the lance as the signal for divine delivery of the city.
Why it lands — The text requires maintaining the assigned action until the stated boundary is completely crossed. Readers must recognize that obedience demands sustained execution before any release of tension or resources.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.
Cross-references
- Exodus 17:11 As long as Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed; but when he lowered them, Amalek prevailed.
- Joshua 8:18 Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Hold out your battle lance toward Ai, for into your hand I will deliver the city.” So Joshua held out his battle lance toward Ai,