On returning to Joshua, they reported, “There is no need to send all the people; two or three thousand men are enough to go up and attack Ai. Since the people of Ai are so few, you need not wear out all our people there.”Joshua 7:3
Original language and places
Reference data from open datasets, shown as published by their sources. Word-by-word English is a literal guide, not a translation.
Original language (Hebrew)
וַיָּשֻׁ֣בוּ אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָיו֮ אַל־יַ֣עַל כָּל־הָעָם֒ כְּאַלְפַּ֣יִם אִ֗ישׁ א֚וֹ כִּשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֣ים אִ֔ישׁ יַעֲל֖וּ וְיַכּ֣וּ אֶת־הָעָ֑י אַל־תְּיַגַּע־שָׁ֙מָּה֙ אֶת־כָּל־הָעָ֔ם כִּ֥י מְעַ֖ט הֵֽמָּה׃
- וַיָּשֻׁ֣בוּvai.ya.Shu.vu“and they returned”Conjunction + Verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural · from שׁוּב · “return” · Strong's H7725G
- אֶל־'el-“to”Preposition · from אֶל · “to(wards)” · Strong's H0413
- יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַye.ho.Shu.a'“Joshua”Noun, proper name of a man · from יְהוֹשׁוּעַ · “Joshua” · Strong's H3091G
- וַיֹּאמְר֣וּvai.yo.me.Ru“and they said”Conjunction + Verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural · from אָמַר · “to say” · Strong's H0559
- אֵלָיו֮'e.Lav“to him”Preposition with article + Suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from אֶל · “to(wards)” · Strong's H0413
- אַל־'al-“may not”Particle, negative · from אַל · “not” · Strong's H0408
- יַ֣עַלYa.'al“it go up”Verb, qal, jussive, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from עָלָה · “rise” · Strong's H5927G
- כָּל־kol-“all”Noun, masculine, singular, construct · from כֹּל · “all” · Strong's H3605
- הָעָם֒ha.'Am“the people”Definite article + Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · from עַם · “people” · Strong's H5971A
- כְּאַלְפַּ֣יִםke.'al.Pa.yim“about two thousand”Preposition + Adjective, cardinal number, both genders, dual, absolute · from אֶ֫לֶף · “thousand” · Strong's H0505G
- אִ֗ישׁ'Ish“man”Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · from אִישׁ · “man” · Strong's H0376G
- א֚וֹ'o“or”Conjunction · from אוֹ · “or” · Strong's H0176A
- כִּשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁתkish.Lo.shet“about three”Preposition + Adjective, cardinal number, both genders, singular, construct · from שָׁלֹשׁ · “three” · Strong's H7969
- אֲלָפִ֣ים'a.la.Fim“thousand<s>”Adjective, cardinal number, both genders, plural, absolute · from אֶ֫לֶף · “thousand” · Strong's H0505G
- אִ֔ישׁ'Ish“man”Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · from אִישׁ · “man” · Strong's H0376G
- יַעֲל֖וּya.'a.Lu“let them go up”Verb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural · from עָלָה · “rise” · Strong's H5927G
- וְיַכּ֣וּve.ya.Ku“and they may attack”Conjunction + Verb, hiphil, 3rd person, masculine, plural · from נָכָה · “to smite” · Strong's H5221
- אֶת־'et-“<obj.>”Particle, direct object marker · from אֵת · “[Obj.]” · Strong's H0853
- הָעָ֑יha.'Ai“<the> Ai”Definite article + Noun, proper name of a place · from עַי · “Ai” · Strong's H5857G
- אַל־'al-“may not”Particle, negative · from אַל · “not” · Strong's H0408
- תְּיַגַּע־te.ya.ga'-“you make go wearily”Verb, piel, jussive, 2nd person, masculine, singular · from יָגֵעַ · “be weary|toil” · Strong's H3021
- שָׁ֙מָּה֙Sha.mah“there towards”Adverb + Suffix, directional · from שָׁם · “there” · Strong's H8033G
- אֶת־'et-“<obj.>”Particle, direct object marker · from אֵת · “[Obj.]” · Strong's H0853
- כָּל־kol-“all”Noun, masculine, singular, construct · from כֹּל · “all” · Strong's H3605
- הָעָ֔םha.'Am“the people”Definite article + Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · from עַם · “people” · Strong's H5971A
- כִּ֥יki“for”Particle · from כִּי · “for” · Strong's H3588A
- מְעַ֖טme.'At“[are] few”Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · from מְעַט · “little” · Strong's H4592
- הֵֽמָּה׃He.mah“they”Pronoun, personal, 3rd person, masculine, plural · from הֵ֫מָּה · “they(masc.)” · Strong's H1992
Places named in this verse
- Ai · today: Et Tellsettlement · Identification: probable · Map of Ai (opens OpenStreetMap) · Details about Ai on OpenBible.info