约书亚记 7:3

Chinese NCV (Simplified)

他們回來，對約書亞說：“不需要全體人民都上去；只要大約二三千人就可以上去攻打艾城了；不必勞動全體人民都上那裡去，因為那裡的人很少。”

Parallel Translations

Chinese Union (Simplified)
他 们 回 到 约 书 亚 那 里 ， 对 他 说 ： 众 民 不 必 都 上 去 ， 只 要 二 三 千 人 上 去 就 能 攻 取 艾 城 ； 不 必 劳 累 众 民 都 去 ， 因 为 那 里 的 人 少 。

Contextual Overview

¹ But the Israelites did not obey the Lord . There was a man from the tribe of Judah named Achan. (He was the son of Carmi and grandson of Zabdi, who was the son of Zerah.) Because Achan kept some of the things that were to be given to the Lord , the Lord became very angry at the Israelites. ² Joshua sent some men from Jericho to Ai, which was near Beth Aven, east of Bethel. He told them, "Go to Ai and spy out the area." So the men went to spy on Ai. ³ Later they came back to Joshua and said, "There are only a few people in Ai, so we will not need all our people to defeat them. Send only two or three thousand men to fight. There is no need to send all of our people." ⁴ So about three thousand men went up to Ai, but the people of Ai beat them badly. ⁵ The people of Ai killed about thirty-six Israelites and then chased the rest from the city gate all the way down to the canyon, killing them as they went down the hill. When the Israelites saw this, they lost their courage.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

about two: Heb. about 2,000 men, or about 3,000 men, labour. Proverbs 13:4, Proverbs 21:25, Luke 13:24, Hebrews 4:11, Hebrews 6:11, Hebrews 6:12, 2 Peter 1:5, 2 Peter 1:10

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The total population of Ai was about twelve thousand Joshua 8:25. It could therefore hardly muster three thousand warriors.