Bible Strands
Joshua 8:29
He hung the king of Ai on a tree until evening, and at sunset Joshua commanded that they take down the body from the tree and throw it down at the entrance of the city gate. And over it they raised a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Joshua issues commands to the Israelite forces immediately after the destruction of Ai and before the construction of the altar on Mount Ebal. The action occurs at the city gate entrance following the execution of the opposing ruler.
The words — The Hebrew verb תָּלָה (talâh) translates literally as "he hanged" or "he suspended," denoting the king's body placed on a tree. The noun עֵץ (ʿēṣ) means "tree" or "wood," specifying the support for that temporary suspension.
The thread — The text's sequence of hanging and stone-piling parallels Deuteronomy 21:22, Joshua 7:26, and 2 Samuel 18:17, where executed bodies receive public exposure followed by a permanent rock mound. Each passage records the same physical markers of judgment and defeat.
Why it lands — The verse documents a precise sequence: execution, timed exposure until sunset, removal, and burial under a lasting stone heap. It asks the reader to observe the deliberate, public finality of the conquest without projecting later theological meanings onto the physical details.
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
And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day.
Cross-references
- Deuteronomy 21:22 If a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and he is executed, and you hang his body on a tree,
- Joshua 7:26 And they heaped over Achan a large pile of rocks that remains to this day. So the LORD turned from His burning anger. Therefore that place is called the Valley of Achor to this day.
- 2 Samuel 18:17 They took Absalom, cast him into a large pit in the forest, and piled a huge mound of stones over him. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled, each to his home.
- Joshua 10:26 After this, Joshua struck down and killed the kings, and he hung their bodies on five trees and left them there until evening.
- Joshua 10:30 And the LORD also delivered that city and its king into the hand of Israel, and Joshua put all the people to the sword, leaving no survivors. And he did to the king of Libnah as he had done to the king of Jericho.
- Joshua 10:33 At that time Horam king of Gezer went to help Lachish, but Joshua struck him down along with his people, leaving no survivors.
- Esther 7:10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the fury of the king subsided.
- Psalms 107:40 He pours out contempt on the nobles and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.
- Psalms 110:5 The Lord is at Your right hand; He will crush kings in the day of His wrath.
- Acts 12:23 Immediately, because Herod did not give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.