Joshua 8 · Verse 26

Joshua 8:26

For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.
Joshua 8:26, King James Version

Joshua 8:26 in other translations

BSBJoshua did not draw back the hand that held his battle lance until he had devoted to destruction all who lived in Ai.
WEBFor Joshua didn’t draw back his hand, with which he stretched out the javelin, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.
ASVFor Joshua drew not back his hand, wherewith he stretched out the javelin, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.
YLTAnd Joshua hath not brought back his hand which he stretched out with the javelin till that he hath devoted all the inhabitants of Ai;
DARBYAnd Joshua did not draw back his hand, which he had stretched out with the javelin, until they had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.
BBEFor Joshua did not take back his hand with the outstretched spear till the destruction of the people of Ai was complete.
WebsterFor Joshua drew not his hand back with which he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.

What does Joshua 8:26 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
26. Joshua drew not his hand back--Perhaps, from the long continuance of the posture, it might have been a means appointed by God, to animate the people, and kept up in the same devout spirit as Moses had shown, in lifting up his hands, until the work of slaughter had been completed--the ban executed. (See on Ex 17:10).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 26 Joshua drew not his hand back - He was not only the general, but the standard-bearer or ensign of his own army, and continued in this employment during the whole of the battle. See on Jos 8:18 (note). Some commentators understand this and Jos 8:18 figuratively, as if they implied that Joshua continued in prayer to God for the success of his troops; nor did he cease till the armies of Ai were annihilated, and the city taken and destroyed. The Hebrew word כידון kidon, which we render spear, is rendered by the Vulgate clypeum, buckler; and it must be owned that it seems to have this signification in several passages of Scripture: (see 1Sam 17:6, 1Sam 17:45; Job 39:23): but it is clear enough also that it means a spear, or some kind of offensive armor, in other places: see Job 41:29; Jer 6:23. I cannot therefore think that it has any metaphorical meaning, such as that attributed to the holding up of Moses's hands, Exo 17:10-12, which is generally allowed to have a spiritual meaning, though it might be understood as the act of Joshua is here; and to this meaning an indirect glance is given in the note on the above place. But however the place in Exodus may be understood, that before us does not appear to have any metaphorical or equivocal meaning; Joshua continued to hold up or stretch out his spear, and did not slack from the pursuit till the forces of Ai were utterly discomfited.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Joshua 8:23-29

God, the righteous Judge, had sentenced the Canaanites for their wickedness; the Israelites only executed his doom. None of their conduct can be drawn into an example for others. Especial reason no doubt there was for this severity to the king of Ai; it is likely he had been notoriously wicked and vile, and a blasphemer of the God of Israel.

Read the full comment on Joshua 8:23-29 →

Joshua 8:26 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וִיהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙vi.ho.Shu.a'and JoshuaH3091
לֹֽא\־lo'-notH3808
הֵשִׁ֣יבhe.Shivhe drew backH7725
יָד֔וֹya.Dohand hisH3027
אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherwhichH834
נָטָ֖הna.Tahhe had stretched outH5186
בַּכִּיד֑וֹןba.ki.Donwith the javelinH3591
עַ֚ד'aduntilH5704
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherthatH834
הֶחֱרִ֔יםhe.che.Rimhe had totally destroyedH2763
אֵ֖ת'et<obj.>H853
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
יֹשְׁבֵ֥יyo.she.Vei[the] inhabitants ofH3427
הָעָֽי\׃ha.'Ai<the> AiH5857

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Joshua 8:26

  • Exodus 17:11-12

    And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

  • Joshua 8:18

    And the Lord said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Joshua.Joshua seems to have been not only the general but the standard-bearer of the army, (ver. 18,) and continued in this employment, by holding up or extending his spear, during the whole of the battle; and did not slacken from the pursuit till the forces of Ai were utterly discomfited. Some commentators, however, understand this action in a figurative sense, like the holding up of Moses' hands, as if it implied that Joshua continued in prayer for the success of his troops, nor ceased till the armies of Ai were annihilated, and the city taken and destroyed.
drew not.
18; Ex 17:11,12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Joshua 8:25

    And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai.

  • Joshua 8:26

    For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.

  • Joshua 8:27

    Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto themselves, according unto the word of the Lord which he commanded Joshua.

Read all of Joshua 8

Joshua 8:26 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y Josué no retrajo su mano que había extendido con la lanza, hasta que hubo destruído á todos los moradores de Hai.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Josué ne retira point sa main qu’il avait étendue avec le javelot, jusqu’à ce qu’on ait entièrement détruit tous les habitants d’Aï.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Josua zog seine Hand, die er mit dem Spieße ausgestreckt hatte, nicht zurück, bis man alle Bewohner von Ai vertilgt hatte.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Josue vero non contraxit manum, quam in sublime porrexerat, tenens clypeum donec interficerentur omnes habitatores Hai.