7:3a

The Hebrew word that the some English versions translate as “and” introduces the next event in the storyline. Use a natural way in your language to indicate this connection. Here is one way that you could translate this transition:

when (Good News Translation)

On returning to Joshua, they reported: It may be helpful in some languages to include the implied information. For example:

⌊After they spied out the land⌋ they returned to Joshua, and said to him

7:3b

There is no need to send all the people: This clause expresses a suggestion from the men who looked at Ai. They suggested that it was not necessary for the whole army to fight against Ai.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

There is no need for everyone to attack Ai. (Good News Translation)
-or-
Do not send the whole army to attack Ai.

all the people: The phrase all the people refers to the soldiers of Israel.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

all the fighting men
-or-
the whole army

7:3c

two or three thousand men are enough to go up and attack Ai: The spies suggested that two or three thousand men were enough to defeat the town of Ai. Translate this suggestion in a way that is natural in your language.

two or three thousand men: The whole army of Israel was about 40,000 men. The spies suggested that only a small number out of the whole army should go. It may be helpful to include a word that indicates this comparison. For example:

Send only two or three thousand men to fight (New Century Version)

go up: In some languages it may be necessary to indicate the location along with this verb of motion. For example:

Not all the people will have to go up against Ai (New International Version)

The Hebrew uses the verb go up because the town of Ai was at a higher elevation than the Israelite camp. The soldiers went uphill to the town of Ai to attack it. In some languages it may be more natural to use a simple verb like “go.”

attack Ai: The Berean Standard Bible follows the Hebrew text and includes the phrase attack Ai at the end of 7:3c. In some languages, it may be more natural to put these words at the end of 7:3b, as the Good News Translation does. For example:

There is no need for everyone to attack Ai. Send only about two or three thousand men (Good News Translation)

7:3d

Since: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Since introduces the reason for the preceding clause.

the people of Ai are so few: This phrase refers to the people of Ai.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

There are not many people in Ai
-or-
Ai is not a large town
-or-
There are not many men to defend Ai

7:3e

you need not wear out all our people there: There are two ways to interpret the Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wear out.

(1) It means “to work hard” or “become weary from working hard.” For example:

Don’t tire out the whole army (NET Bible)

(Berean Standard Bible, NET Bible, Revised Standard Version, New International Version, God’s Word, Revised English Bible, English Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, New Living Translation (2004))

(2) It means “to cause trouble for.” For example:

Why bother the whole army (Contemporary English Version)

(Contemporary English Version, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Although the meaning is somewhat uncertain, this is the interpretation followed by the majority of English versions.

all our people: This refers to all the army, or all the fighting men.

General Comment on 7:3

In some languages it may be more natural to state the grounds before the result. English versions have done this in various ways. For example:

3e There are only a few people in Ai, 3b so we will not need all our people to defeat them. 3c Send only two or three thousand men to fight. 3d There is no need to send all of our people. (New Century Version)

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