Joshua 8:29

27 Israel took for themselves only the cattle and plunder of that city, as the LORD had commanded Joshua.

28 So Joshua burned Ai and made it a permanent heap of ruins, a desolation to this day.

He hung the king of Ai on a tree until evening, and at sunset Joshua commanded that they take down the body from the tree and throw it down at the entrance of the city gate. And over it they raised a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day.

30 At that time Joshua built an altar on Mount Ebal to the LORD, the God of Israel,

31 just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses: “an altar of uncut stones on which no iron tool has been used.” And on it they offered burnt offerings to the LORD, and they sacrificed peace offerings.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
He hung the king of Ai on a tree until evening, and at sunset Joshua commanded that they take down the body from the tree and throw it down at the entrance of the city gate. And over it they raised a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day.
KJV
And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day.
WEB
He hanged the king of Ai on a tree until the evening. At sundown, Joshua commanded, and they took his body down from the tree and threw it at the entrance of the gate of the city, and raised a great heap of stones on it that remains to this day.
ASV
And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until the eventide: and at the going down of the sun Joshua commanded, and they took his body down from the tree, and cast it at the entrance of the gate of the city, and raised thereon a great heap of stones, unto this day.
DARBY
And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until the evening; and at the going down of the sun Joshua commanded, and they took his carcase down from the tree, and threw it down at the entrance of the gate of the city, and raised upon it a great heap of stones, [which remains] to this day.
BLB
And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until the time of the evening; and at the going in of the sun, Joshua commanded that they should take down his corpse from the tree and cast it at the entrance of the gate of the city, and raise over it a great heap of stones to this day.
ÅB
Og kongen i Ai lot han henge opp på et tre, og der ble han hengende til om kvelden; men da solen gikk ned, befalte Josva dem ta hans døde legeme ned av treet og kaste det ved inngangen til byens port, og de kastet en stor steinrøys sammen over ham; den er der den dag idag.
OTB
Han hengte kongen av Ai på et tre til kvelden, og ved solnedgang befalte Josva at de skulle ta hans kropp ned fra treet, kaste den ved inngangen til byporten, og reise en stor steinhaug over den, som står til denne dag.
B1930
Og kongen i Ai lot han henge op på et tre, og der blev han hengende til om aftenen; men da solen gikk ned, bød Josva dem ta hans døde legeme ned av treet og kaste det ved inngangen til byens port, og de kastet en stor stenrøs sammen over ham; den er der den dag idag.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Deuteronomy 21:22–23

    If a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and he is executed, and you hang his body on a tree,

    Read in context
  • 2 Samuel 18:17

    They took Absalom, cast him into a large pit in the forest, and piled a huge mound of stones over him. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled, each to his home.

    Read in context
  • Joshua 7:26

    And they heaped over Achan a large pile of rocks that remains to this day. So the LORD turned from His burning anger. Therefore that place is called the Valley of Achor to this day.

    Read in context
  • Psalms 110:5

    The Lord is at Your right hand; He will crush kings in the day of His wrath.

    Read in context
  • Acts 12:23

    Immediately, because Herod did not give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.

    Read in context
  • Joshua 10:33

    At that time Horam king of Gezer went to help Lachish, but Joshua struck him down along with his people, leaving no survivors.

    Read in context
  • Joshua 10:26–28

    After this, Joshua struck down and killed the kings, and he hung their bodies on five trees and left them there until evening.

    Read in context
  • Revelation 19:17–18

    Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out in a loud voice to all the birds flying overhead, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God,

    Read in context