Joshua 8:28

28 So Joshua burned Ai down. He tore it down so it could never be built again. It has been deserted to this very day.

Joshua 8:28 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 8:28

And Joshua burnt Ai
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, ( 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, ( 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.

Joshua 8:28 In-Context

26 Joshua kept the javelin that was in his hand pointed at Ai. He didn't lower his hand until he and his men had totally destroyed everyone who lived there.

27 But this time Israel kept for themselves the livestock and everything else they had taken from the city. The LORD had directed Joshua to let them do it.

28 So Joshua burned Ai down. He tore it down so it could never be built again. It has been deserted to this very day.

29 Joshua killed the king of Ai. He stuck a pole through the body. Then he set it up where people could see it. He left it there until evening. At sunset, Joshua ordered his men to remove the body from the pole. He told them to throw the body down at the entrance of the city gate. They put a large pile of rocks over the body. That pile is still there to this very day.

30 Joshua built an altar to honor the Lord, the God of Israel. He built it on Mount Ebal.