Joshua 7:3

3 and they turned again, and said to him, All the people go not up thither, but two either three thousand of men go, and do away the city (and they returned, and said to him, All the people do not need to go up there, but only two or three thousand men need to go, and do away the city); why shall all the people be travailed in vain against (such) full few enemies?

Joshua 7:3 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 7:3

And they returned unto Joshua, and said unto him, let not all
the people go up
After they had reconnoitred the place, they came back to their general, and gave it as their opinion, that there was no need for the whole army to go up against the city:

but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai;
such a number they judged were sufficient to take it:

[and] make not all the people to labour thither;
carrying their tents, bearing their armour, and going up hill:

for they [are but] few;
the inhabitants of Ai, men and women making but twelve thousand; ( Joshua 8:25 ) .

Joshua 7:3 In-Context

1 Forsooth the sons of Israel brake the commandment, and mis-took of the cursed thing; for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, [the] son of Zerah, of the lineage of Judah, took something of the cursed thing; and the Lord was wroth against the sons of Israel. (But one of the Israelites disobeyed the Lord's command, and took some of the cursed things; for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the cursed things; and so the Lord was angry with the Israelites.)

2 And when Joshua sent men from Jericho against Ai, which is beside Bethaven, at the east coast of the city of Bethel, he said to them, Go ye up, and espy the land. Which [ful]filled the commandments, and espied Ai; (And when Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, to the east of the city of Bethel, he said to them, Go ye up, and spy out the land. And they fulfilled his commands, and spied out Ai;)

3 and they turned again, and said to him, All the people go not up thither, but two either three thousand of men go, and do away the city (and they returned, and said to him, All the people do not need to go up there, but only two or three thousand men need to go, and do away the city); why shall all the people be travailed in vain against (such) full few enemies?

4 Therefore three thousand of fighters ascended, which turned the backs anon, and were smitten of the men of Ai; (And so three thousand fighting men went up, who at once turned their backs, after they were attacked by the men of Ai;)

5 and six and thirty men of them were slain; and the adversaries pursued them from the (city) gate unto Shebarim; and they felled down fleeing by (the) low places. And the heart of the people dreaded much, and it was made unsteadfast at the likeness of water (And the people's hearts were full of fear, and they were made as unstable as water).