23 But they took alive the king of Ai and brought him to Joshua . 24 Now when Israel had finished killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the field in the wilderness where they pursued them, and all of them were fallen by the edge of the sword until they were destroyed , then all Israel returned to Ai and struck it with the edge of the sword . 25 All who fell that day , both men and women , were 12,000 e e -all the people of Ai . 26 For Joshua did not withdraw his hand with which he stretched out the javelin until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai . 27 Israel took only the cattle and the spoil of that city as plunder for themselves, according to the word of the Lord which He had commanded Joshua . 28 So Joshua burned Ai and made it a heap forever , a desolation until this day . 29 He hanged the king of Ai on a tree until evening ; and at sunset e Joshua gave command and they took his body down from the tree and threw it at the entrance of the city gate , and raised over it a great heap of stones that stands to this day .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Joshua 8:23-29
Commentary on Joshua 8:23-29
(Read Joshua 8:23-29)
God, the righteous Judge, had sentenced the Canaanites for their wickedness; the Israelites only executed his doom. None of their conduct can be drawn into an example for others. Especial reason no doubt there was for this severity to the king of Ai; it is likely he had been notoriously wicked and vile, and a blasphemer of the God of Israel.