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Joshua 8:28

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does Joshua 8:28 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “So Joshua burnt Ai, and made it a heap for ever, even a desolation, unto this day.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

So Joshua burnt Ai, and made it a heap for ever, even a desolation, unto this day.
Joshua 8:28 — American Standard Version

Context — Joshua 8

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
25And all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai.
26For Joshua drew not back his hand, wherewith he stretched out the javelin, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.
27Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for prey unto themselves, according unto the word of Jehovah which he commanded Joshua.
28So Joshua burnt Ai, and made it a heap for ever, even a desolation, unto this day.
29And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until the eventide: and at the going down of the sun Joshua commanded, and they took his body down from the tree, and cast it at the entrance of the gate of the city, and raised thereon a great heap of stones, unto this day.
30Then Joshua built an altar unto Jehovah, the God of Israel, in mount Ebal,
31as Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of unhewn stones, upon which no man had lifted up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt-offerings unto Jehovah, and sacrificed peace-offerings.
← Joshua 8:27Joshua 8:29 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And Joshua burnt Ai, etc.] The whole city, fire being only set before to a few houses, to make a smoke as a signal; he did with it as he had done with Jericho, for so he was ordered, (<060802>Joshua 8:2); and made it an heap for ever; that is, for a long time, for it appears to have been rebuilt, and to have been inhabited by the Jews, after their return from their Babylonish captivity, (<161131>Nehemiah 11:31); [even] a desolation unto this day; to the time of the writing of this book; and by what has been just observed, it appears that Ezra could not be the writer of it, since this city was inhabited in his time.”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever--"For ever" often signifies "a long time" (Gen 6:3). One of the remarkable things with regard to the tell we have identified with Ai is its name--the tell of the heap of stones--a name which to this day remains [VAN DE VELDE].”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“8:28 Prior to its destruction, Ai was called by an unknown name. The writer of Joshua always referred to it as Ai (meaning “ruin”), the name it was given after its destruction.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“an heap: Deu 13:16; Kg2 19:25; Isa 17:1, Isa 25:2; Jer 9:11, Jer 49:2, Jer 50:26; Mic 3:12 unto this day: Jos 4:9 Joshua 8:29”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification