So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai.
So about three thousand men from the people went up there, and they ran away when the men of Ai fought against them.
This verse describes how Israel's army was defeated and had to retreat from the small city of Ai, which was shocking after their great victory at Jericho.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative of Joshua, after the successful conquest of Jericho, the Israelites attempted to capture the nearby city of Ai with a force of about three thousand men, expecting an easy victory. However, due to Achan's earlier sin of taking items devoted to destruction from Jericho, which displeased God, the Israelite army was routed and fled in defeat before the men of Ai. This event occurred during the broader conquest of Canaan, highlighting how individual disobedience could affect the entire community in their military campaigns.
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