Joshua 7:5 Meaning and Explanation
“And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Ai's men kill thirty-six Israelites and chase the rest downhill, and the people's courage dissolves like water.
What Does Joshua 7:5 Mean?
Thirty-six men fall, and the survivors are pursued down the slope. The loss is small by the measures of war, but its effect is total: the hearts of the people 'melted, and became as water.' The same phrase had once described how Canaan trembled at Israel; now Israel trembles in turn.
Courage, it turns out, was never in the army's hands to keep. When the LORD's presence is grieved, even a modest setback can drain a nation's spirit. The melting heart is a picture of what we become when we are cut off from our strength. It is also an invitation, for a heart turned to water can be poured out before God in honest grief, and that is exactly what Joshua does next.
Frequently Asked Questions About Joshua 7:5
What does Joshua 7:5 mean?
Ai's men kill thirty-six Israelites and chase the rest downhill, and the people's courage dissolves like water.