Joshua 7:5 nasb — The men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of their men, and pursued them from the gate as far as Shebarim and struck t…

NASB

"The men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of their men, and pursued them from the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them down on the descent, so the hearts of the people melted and became as water."

— Joshua 7:5, NASB

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Joshua 7:5 in Other Translations

7 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.”

  • ASV

    “And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men; and they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them at the descent: and the hearts of the people melted, and became as water. ”

  • WEB

    “The men of Ai struck about thirty-six men of them, and they chased them from before the gate even to Shebarim, and struck them at the descent. The hearts of the people melted, and became like water.”

  • NET

    “The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them and chased them from in front of the city gate all the way to the fissures and defeated them on the steep slope. The people’s courage melted away like water.”

  • DRB

    “And were defeated by the men of the city of Hai, and there fell of them six and thirty men: and the enemies pursued them from the gate as far as Sabarim, and they slew them as they fled by the descent: and the heart of the people was struck with fear, and melted like water.”

  • BBE

    “The men of Ai put to death about thirty-six of them, driving them from before the town as far as the stoneworks, and overcoming them on the way down: and the hearts of the people became like water.”

  • KJVA

    “And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.”

Joshua 7 — Context

2

Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, "Go up and spy out the land." So the men went up and spied out Ai.

3

They returned to Joshua and said to him, "Do not let all the people go up; only about two or three thousand men need go up to Ai; do not make all the people toil up there, for they are few."

4

So about three thousand men from the people went up there, but they fled from the men of Ai.

5

The men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of their men, and pursued them from the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them down on the descent, so the hearts of the people melted and became as water.

6

Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the LORD until the evening, both he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads.

7

Joshua said, "Alas, O Lord GOD, why did You ever bring this people over the Jordan, only to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? If only we had been willing to dwell beyond the Jordan!

8

"O Lord, what can I say since Israel has turned their back before their enemies?

Joshua 7:5 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Joshua 7:5 say?
Joshua 7:5 in the NASB reads: “The men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of their men, and pursued them from the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them down on the descent, so the hearts of the people melted and became as water.”
Where is Joshua 7:5 in the Bible?
Joshua 7:5 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Joshua, chapter 7, verse 5.
Who wrote Joshua?
Joshua is traditionally attributed to Joshua (traditional). Traditionally written by Joshua with later additions noting his death and burial. It was written c. 1405–1380 BC.
What is the book of Joshua about?
Joshua is the account of Israel's entry into Canaan under Moses' successor — the crossing of the Jordan, the fall of Jericho, the conquest of the land, and its division among the twelve tribes. It is a record of God's faithfulness to his covenant promise to Abraham.
What are the major themes of Joshua?
Joshua explores themes including Conquest, Faithfulness, Inheritance, Courage, Holy War. These themes shape the meaning and context of Joshua 7:5.
What translation should I read Joshua 7:5 in?
Joshua 7:5 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Joshua 7:5?
Joshua 7:5 reads (NASB): “The men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of their men, and pursued them from the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them down on the descent, so the hearts of the people melted and became as water.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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