Joshua 8:24

24 It happened, when Yisra'el had made an end of killing all the inhabitants of `Ai in the field, in the wilderness in which they pursued them, and they were all fallen by the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all Yisra'el returned to `Ai, and struck it with the edge of the sword.

Joshua 8:24 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 8:24

And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying
all the inhabitants of Ai
That came out against them:

in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them;
both in the arable lands that were sown with corn, and now clothed with it, the wheat especially, not being gathered in, as not yet ripe, and in the pasture ground, designed by the wilderness, see ( Joshua 8:15 ) ; so Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret it:

and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword;
and were slain by it:

until they were consumed;
and not one left:

that all the Israelites returned unto Ai;
both the ambush that came out of it, and the army that came against it:

and smote it with the edge of the sword;
that is, the inhabitants that were left in it unfit for war, as old men, infirm persons, women and children, as follows.

Joshua 8:24 In-Context

22 The others came forth out of the city against them; so they were in the midst of Yisra'el, some on this side, and some on that side: and they struck them, so that they let none of them remain or escape.
23 The king of `Ai they took alive, and brought him to Yehoshua.
24 It happened, when Yisra'el had made an end of killing all the inhabitants of `Ai in the field, in the wilderness in which they pursued them, and they were all fallen by the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all Yisra'el returned to `Ai, and struck it with the edge of the sword.
25 All that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of `Ai.
26 For Yehoshua didn't draw back his hand, with which he stretched out the javelin, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of `Ai.
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.