3. The first great battle of Ai was preceded by defeat in what may be called a mere skirmish, as only 3,000 were engaged. This defeat seems to have been divinely allowed, to place a terrible emphasis upon the truth that disobedience to the commands of God, even of a small part of the people, would certainly be followed by punishment.
The result was terrible, not only in the national mortification consequent upon the defeat, but in the lesson that no transgressor could escape either by hiding himself or his stolen spoils, which in this case had been buried in the ground and covered by the tent, Josh. 7:11–26.
4. The valley of Achor, where the fearful punishment was inflicted, is, without question, the present Wady Kelt, near the opening of which, upon the plain of Jordan, was the city of Jericho.
The battle was renewed, all the people of war were engaged, and the victory was complete.
5. The next event of great importance was the gathering of all the people in a central part of the land at two mountains called Ebal and Gerizim. This gathering was in execution of the commandof Moses, Deut. 27, and was intended to cause them to renew their covenant with God and to set before them the blessings which should be granted upon obedience and the curses which should follow disobedience.
EBAL AND GERIZIM.
6. The location for this great gathering was admirably chosen. Ebal is a mountain whose highest point is 3,077 feet above the Mediterranean. Gerizim, right opposite, and southward, is 2,849 feet, and between them is the valley, whose surface is about 1,600 feet above the sea. In this valley, which runs east and west, is Shechem, on the southern side and partly built upon the ascent of Mt. Gerizim. The gathering may have taken place on the west of the city, where the valley is bounded on the north by that part of the western extent of the Ebal range which slightly recedes from the line of the valley and takes the form of an amphitheatre. But there is ample room on the east, where the elevations of both sides are far greater. The valley opens eastward upon the great level plain of Moreh, several square miles in extent. Where the valley opens upon this plain is the well of Jacob (John 4:6), and not far north of this well is the traditional tomb of Joseph, Josh. 24:32, whose embalmed body they buried there after they had conquered the country.
7. The vicinity of this well and the former historymade this ground sacred to the Israelites, for here was Jacob’s first settlement and property, purchased of the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, 280 years before. Even before that purchase by Jacob it was sacred, because that 189 years before Jacob’s time Abraham built here an altar to the Lord after that He had appeared to him and promised to give this land unto his seed, Gen. 12:6, 7.
The altar built here by Joshua, Josh. 8:30, was therefore the third altar erected in this vicinity, the first by Abraham and the second by Jacob, Gen. 33:20.
It is very probable that the great battle at Ai was fought with the view of clearing the way for the uninterrupted passage of the entire hosts of Israel to the plain just spoken of, called the plain of Moreh, which stretches out eastward from the bases of Ebal and Gerizim, and was 20 miles north of Ai.