Joshua 7:3
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

And returning, they said to him: Let not all the people go up, but let two or three thousand men go, and destroy the city: why should all the people be troubled in vain, against enemies that are very few?

about two [heb] about

2000 men, or about

3000 men.
labour

Proverbs 13:4 The sluggard willeth, and willeth not: but the soul of them that work, shall be made fat.

Proverbs 21:25 Desires kill the slothful: for his hands have refused to work at all.

Luke 13:24 Strive to enter by the narrow gate: for many, I say to you, shall seek to enter and shall not be able.

Hebrews 4:11 Let us hasten therefore to enter into that rest: lest any man fall into the same example of unbelief.

Hebrews 6:11,12 And we desire that every one of you shew forth the same carefulness to the accomplishing of hope unto the end: . . .

2 Peter 1:5,10 And you, employing all care, minister in your faith, virtue: And in virtue, knowledge: . . .

Context
Israel Defeated at Ai
2And when Joshua sent men from Jericho against Hai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of the town of Bethel, he said to them: Go up, and view the country: and they fulfilled his command, and viewed Hai. 3And returning, they said to him: Let not all the people go up, but let two or three thousand men go, and destroy the city: why should all the people be troubled in vain, against enemies that are very few?4There went up therefore three thousand fighting men: who immediately turned their backs,…
Cross References
Joshua 7:2
And when Joshua sent men from Jericho against Hai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of the town of Bethel, he said to them: Go up, and view the country: and they fulfilled his command, and viewed Hai.

Joshua 7:4
There went up therefore three thousand fighting men: who immediately turned their backs,

Lexicon
On returning
וַיָּשֻׁ֣בוּ (way·yā·šu·ḇū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's Hebrew 413: Near, with, among, to

Joshua,
יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ (yə·hō·wō·šu·a‘)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 3091: Joshua -- 'the LORD is salvation', Moses' successor, also the name of a number of Israelites

they reported,
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ (way·yō·mə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew 559: To utter, say

“There is no need
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's Hebrew 408: Not

to send all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's Hebrew 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the people;
הָעָם֒ (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

two
כְּאַלְפַּ֣יִם (kə·’al·pa·yim)
Preposition-k | Number - md
Strong's Hebrew 505: A thousand

or
א֚וֹ (’ōw)
Conjunction
Strong's Hebrew 176: Desire, if

three
כִּשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת (kiš·lō·šeṯ)
Preposition-k | Number - masculine singular construct
Strong's Hebrew 7969: Three, third, thrice

thousand
אֲלָפִ֣ים (’ă·lā·p̄îm)
Number - masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew 505: A thousand

men [are enough]
אִ֔ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 376: A man as an individual, a male person

to go up
יַעֲל֖וּ (ya·‘ă·lū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew 5927: To ascend, in, actively

and attack
וְיַכּ֣וּ (wə·yak·kū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew 5221: To strike

Ai.
הָעָ֑י (hā·‘āy)
Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew 5857: Ai -- a Canaanite city

Since
כִּ֥י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's Hebrew 3588: A relative conjunction

the people of Ai
הֵֽמָּה׃ (hêm·māh)
Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew 1992: They

are so few,
מְעַ֖ט (mə·‘aṭ)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 4592: A little, fewness, a few

you need not
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's Hebrew 408: Not

wear out
תְּיַגַּע־ (tə·yag·ga‘-)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 3021: To gasp, to be exhausted, to tire, to toil

all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's Hebrew 3605: The whole, all, any, every

our people
הָעָ֔ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

there.�
שָׁ֙מָּה֙ (šām·māh)
Adverb | third person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew 8033: There, then, thither


Additional Translations
On returning to Joshua, they reported, “There is no need to send all the people; two or three thousand men are enough to go up and attack Ai. Since the people of Ai are so few, you need not wear out all our people there.”And they returned to Joshua, and said to him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labor thither; for they are but few.

And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; make not all the people to toil thither; for they are but few.

And they returned to Joshua, and said to him, Let not all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and take the city by siege: carry not up thither the whole people, for the enemy are few.

And they returned to Joshua, and said to him, Let not all the people go up; let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; make not all the people to toil thither, for they are few.

And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; make not all the people to toil thither; for they are but few.

And they returned to Joshua, and said to him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labor thither; for they are but few.

They returned to Joshua, and said to him, "Don't let all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and strike Ai. Don't make all the people to toil there, for there are only a few of them."

and they turn back unto Joshua, and say unto him, 'Let not all the people go up; let about two thousand men, or about three thousand men, go up, and they smite Ai; cause not all the people to labour thither; for they are few.'
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Alphabetical: a about against Ai all and are do few for go have him it Joshua let make men need Not only or people returned said Send take the there they thousand three to toil two up weary When will

OT History: Joshua 7:3 They returned to Joshua and said (Josh. Jos) Bible Study Resources, Dictionary, Concordance and Search Tools

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